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EXPOSITION OF 


HEAVENLY TRUTHS 

THROUGH 

The Revelation of the Holy Scriptures 

AND 

The Testimonies of the World’s History. 


AN UNDENOMINATIONAL TREATISE : Showing forth 
the Significance of the Great Events in the Political and 
Religious Spheres (Past and Present) and the Way into 
the Kingdom of God. 


By JOHN NUESCH 

»\ 



“ I am come to send fire on the earth.” Luke 12:49. 

“ And the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” 1 Cor. 3:13. 
“ But other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which 
is Christ Jesus.” 1 Cor. 3:11. 


For Sale by J* Nu«»ch, 
Arkansas, 


Price, per Single Copy, in Paper Cover, 80c. 
In Cloth, $1.10. 



* 




\ 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 


JAN II 1904 . 

V Copyright Entry 

f&SS ^ oC 1 c. No. 

I 


COPY B 


1 



Copyright, 1902, by John Nuesch, Sr. 




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INDEX OF CONTENTS 


Introductory 


PAGE 

1 


PART I. 

Historical Evidence of the Fulfillment of Prophecy. 

Chapter I—The Language of Divine Prophecy 5 or, The In¬ 
terpretation of Prophetic Symbols . . 10 

Chapter II—The History of the Christian Church to the End 
of'the Second Woe ; divided into six parts, namely : 

J* 1—The Fulfillment of Christ’s Prophecy in Matth. 
24:1-28, or, The Warfare and Suffering of the 
Church under Pagan Rome. 26 

§ 2—Matth. 24:29. 29 

\ 3—The Period of Transition from the Victory of the 
Church of Christ over Paganism until the Begin¬ 
ning of the Reign of the Two Witnesses of Rev. 

11:3. 32 

§ 4—The Reign of the Tyrant-Prophets of Rev. eh. 

11, or, Christendom During the Time of the 
Most Intimate Union of State and Church..,... 40 

§ 5—The Ascending of the Beast of the Bottomless 

Pit, and the Death-State of the Two Witnesses. 48 

§ 6—The Resurrection and the Present Decadence 

of the Power of the Two Witnesses. 51 


V 










PAGE 


Chapter III—Additional Facts Concerning the Proper Place¬ 
ment of the Beginning and Ending of the Intimate 
Union and Great Persecuting Power of the Two Wit¬ 
nesses . 58 

Chapter IV—The Interpretation of the Twelfth Chapter of 

the Book of Revelation . 70 

Chapter V— Remarks on the Doctrine of the Trinity. 99 

Chapter VI—The Temple of God and the Holy City, Rev. 

11:1-2.. 107 

Chapter VII—The Two Beasts of the Thirteenth Chapter 

of Revelation. 113 

Chapter VIII—On Revelation 14:9-10; Specially the Third 

Angel’s Message. 139 

Chapter IX—The Interpretation of the First Five Seals; 

Rev. 6:1-11. 143 

Chapter X—The Sixth Seal; Rev. 6:12 to 17. 150 

Chapter XI—The Sealing of the Hundred and Forty-Four 

Thousand; Rev. ch. 7. 157 

Chapter XII—The Overthrow of the Arian Kingdoms, Rev. 

ch. 8; or, The Commencement of the Seventh Seal.. .. 161 

Chapter XIII—Exegesis of Rev. ch. 17. 169 

V 

Chapter XIV—Interpretations of Portions of the Book of 

Revelation Not Contained in the Foregoing Chapters.. 180 

Chapter XV—A Brief History of the Christian Dispensa¬ 
tion. 187 


VI 













PART II. 


Dissertations on Various Doctrines in the Light of Divine 
Law and Testimony. Isa. 8:20. 

PAGE 

Chapter XVI—Biblical and Historical Testimony Concern¬ 
ing the Observance of the Seventh and the First Day 
of the Week; divided into two parts, namely: 

§ 1—General Testimonies.189 

§ 2—On the Relation of the Feasts of Easter and 
Pentecost to the Observance of Sunday, and 
The Great Sign of His Messiahship Which 
Jesus Gave to the Scribes and Pharisees. 210 

Chapter XVII—Concerning the So-Called 2300 ‘ ‘Days’’ of 
Daniel, ch. 8, and the Evidence of Their Non-Relation 
to the Heavenly Sanctuary. . 227 

Chapter XVIII—On the Second Advent of Christ and the 

Millennium .240 

Chapter XIX—On the Unalterability of God’s Designs and 
the Evidence for the Yet Future Fulfilment of Those 
Prophecies Which Atheists Consider Failures.255 

Chapter XX—On Daniel ch. 2, v. 43 .. 282 

Chapter XXI—On the Return of Sodom, Ez. ch. 16 . 283 

Chapter XXII—On the Ordinance of Baptism and the Way 
to “the High Calling in Christ Jesus” .. 287 

Chapter XXIII—Answers to Diverse Arguments in Regard 

to Water Baptism.... 300 

Chapter XXIV—How to Discern Between True and False 

Prophets.. 305 

Chapter XXV—On Objections Raised Against Peculiar 

Statements and Expressions Fouud in the Bible.328 

Postscript . . . 333 


VII 


































































































































































































































































. ' 

































Introductory 


\ 


This book is an “Exposition of Heavenly Truths,” because it 
presents an exegesis of the Revelations which God gave us con¬ 
cerning His kingdom. 

Fragments of the contents of this book have appeared in pam¬ 
phlets and in the form of short articles ever since 1883. But the 
author is aware of the necessity of having them published connect¬ 
edly to facilitate the search for reference and comparison, in order 
that all things therein presented might be easier understood. 

The holy Scriptures give us many repetitions and supple¬ 
ments in regard to divine precepts and prophecies. Concerning 
the same facts we find numerous statements scattered here and 
there throughout the different books; because the books of the 
Bible were not written by one, or by a few, but by many prophets, 
and at times widely distant from one another. Therefore the 
perfect harmony in the language and in the meaning of the meta¬ 
phors used by the different writers, or prophets, in all their testi¬ 
monies, is truly astonishing and proves by itself almost as fully as 
does the perfect fulfillment of the various predictions, that the rev¬ 
elations of the Bible came not through any worldly wisdom, but 
from one source only, namely the Spirit of God. The Apostle 
Peter says (2 Pet. 1:21): “Prophecy came not by the will of 
man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy 
Spirit.” In another place (1 Pet. 1:11) he says, that the Spirit 
of Christ was in the old prophets. The fact that the different por¬ 
tions of the Bible were written by many prophets and during a 
long space of time, and that notwithstanding their great number, 
the different books contain no contradictions, but constitute a har¬ 
monious entirety, is certainly important. The evidence is perfect; 
for it is an harmonious testimony of many witnesses. Those wit¬ 
nesses do not only agree with one another in regard to divine doc¬ 
trines and precepts, but, as already stated, the wonderful symbol¬ 
isms, in which their predictions and parables are clothed, are in 
their use, application and meaning everywhere the same. The 



2 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths . 

historical facts which prove the fulfillment of prophecy show this 
in every instance. 

The many repetitions and supplements throughout the whole 
Bible are necessary for the purpose that the reader may keep every 
truth in constant remembrance. The prophet Isaiah says in chap¬ 
ter 28, verse 10: “Precept must be upon precept, precept upon 
precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little and there a 
little.” If certain facts were not always kept in remembrance, it 
would be impossible to understand in all places the meaning of the 
Holy Scriptures, and to recognize without difficulty the fulfillment 
of a prediction and the progress toward the end of the definite 
historical periods. But to the heedless it happens as it is writ¬ 
ten (Matt. 33:13) : “Seeing they shall not see, and hearing they 
shall not understand.” For the carnal mind does not appreciate 
spiritual things, has no desire to hear them and study them, and 
therefore cannot understand them. A faithful seeker after truth 
cannot remain in ignorance, for the testimony of the prophetic 
word is so clear as to convince any one that will hear it. It was 
for this reason that Jesus refused to give the scribes a special sign 
concerning his authority and Messiahship. 

The writer followed the teaching of the Holy Scripture in re¬ 
peating certain truths occasionally, and in referring the reader to 
previous statements when he deemed it necessary, especially in the 
explanation of prophetic symbols. None can thus lose sight of 
what was explained before; and the application of the same truths 
will bring light in new matters. Therefore, let the reader not 
regard this course as an imposition on his patience, but consider 
that in these highly important matters it is best to follow the ex¬ 
ample taught by the Holy Scripture. 

Seventh Day Adventists applied the falling of the stars spoken 
of in Matt. 24:29 to a meteoric shower which fell in 1833; and 
the w r ord Genea, which occurs in the same passage of Scripture 
(and is translated by the English as “generation”), they thought 
meant only a man’s age. They have taught* therewith, that the^ 
second advent of Christ shall take place before all those shall have 
died who saw the phenomenon; for they consider that as the ful¬ 
fillment of the falling of the stars in Christ’s prophecy. They 
also looked in the same way on the darkening of the physical sun 
and moon in 1780. In this book, however, the proofs are given 
that the words of Jesus concerning the darkening of the sun, the 


Introductory. 


3 


going out of the moon, and the falling of the stars from heaven, 
and the shaking of the powers of the heavens, have a figurative 
meaning, and that they were fulfilled long before the time assigned 
by the Seventh Day Adventists. The proof of the truth of this 
assertion is given in the first and second chapters of this book. 
Therefore none can tell whether any person who in 1833 saw the 
so-called falling of the stars will be alive or not at our Lord’s per¬ 
sonal appearing. The word Genea in the said passage applies to 
the Jewish race; and, moreover, the stars in the physical heavens 
did not fall, neither can they fall to the earth in the sense of com¬ 
mon language.* Therefore, if the last one of those who saw that 
great meteoric shower (for it was only such—and not the falling 
of the stars), shall have died before our Lord’s advent, then there 
shall be a great shaking in the Seventh Day Adventist church on 
this account, and also on account of many other doctrines which 
are built on similar false suppositions. To warn people against 
these errors, and to keep some from stumbling through offense 
is one reason why I commenced to write on the prophecies. 

Seventh Day Adventists are certainly wrong in thinking that 
the word Genea in Matt. 24:34f is only applicable to a man’s age; 
and, by turning many symbolic statements into the literal, they 
also believe that before the destruction of Jerusalem there never 
were such great earthquakes (in nature) as there have been since. 
All such ideas have their origin in a misunderstanding of cer¬ 
tain prophetic terms. 

It is astonishing how even the most renowned Bible exposi¬ 
tors have contradicted themselves, and how • their commentaries 
prove in themselves that certain views taken by them are false; 
one allegation very often destroying the other. Some tell us that 
the “manchild” of Revelations, chapter 12, is Jdsus. How can this 
be true? The Revelation of John is a revelation of things that 
were yet future, from the time that John was in the Isle of Patmos 


* See also the Scriptural evidence which is given in chapter II, 
§ 2, and in chapter X. 

f Matt. 24:34, “Verily I say unto you, This generation” (Gr. 
“genea”—generation, race, breed) “shall not pass away till all these 
things be accomplished.” Luther and many others have correctly 
translated the word as “race” or “kindred,” which is in perfect har¬ 
mony with the numerous prophetic statements which foretold the 
survival of the Jewish race to the end. 



4 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 

(Rev. 1:1)/and not of things that then already were in the past.* 
And, notice, the woman. Rev. 12 :1, that brought for that man- 
child” is not a fleshly woman, but a spiritual, namely, the church 
of God. Therefore the birth of that “man child” was not a fleshly 
birth, but a spiritual. Again, they comprehend correctly that 
the Sea out of which the first beast of Revelation 13 arose repre¬ 
sents discontented, restless multitudes in revolutions and wars. 
But they tell us that the Earth, out of which the second beast arose, 
is the physical earth, and that it is, specially, the lately discovered 
continent of America. How can this be true? If the sea has a 
spiritual meaning, why should, in the same vision, the earth not 
also have a spiritual meaning? As the restless, wind-tossed sea 
stands for unruly people, so shall we find that the firm earth stands 
for peaceable, patient, quiet people that are not involved in wars. 
Again, if the Sun wherewith the woman of Revelations, chapter 
12 was clothed, and the Moon which she had under her feet, have 
a spiritual meaning, why not also the Sun and Moon in the proph¬ 
ecies of Isaiah, Ezekiel and Jesus? etc. Is God’s word confusion? 
Surely not. It is also impossible for the Little Horn of Dan. 8:9 
to be the same as the one spoken of in Daniel, chapter 7; because 
that of Daniel, chapter 8, came out of one of the Greek kingdoms. 
History and Scripture teach that none of the old universal domin¬ 
ions sprang out of one another, but that every succeeding one arose 
independently and absorbed the one that had ruled before. The 
Roman empire did not come out of that empire which was founded 
by x41exander, but it grew up in the West and spread and absorbed 
the kingdoms in the East. (Every successive universal dominion 
was also larger than the one that preceded it. t) How then can 
the Little Horn of Daniel, chapter 8, be the papacy? And seeing 
that the prophecy in Daniel, chapter 8 (in the original language), 


* P’or the things which John had seen according to verse 19 are 
simply the things mentioned in verse 20: the vision of Jesus Christ 
and the things concerning the seven communities in Asia, which at 
that time existed, verses 10-18. 

t Those great pagan dominions of ancient times were not called 
Universal, because they covered the whole earth, for they did not, 
but because each one in its respective time ruled over all the coun¬ 
tries in which the knowledge of God was spread upon the earth. No 
nation comes under the scope of prophecy as long as the word of 
God is not preached among it. 



Introductory . 


5 


speaks not of 2,300 Days, but of 2,300 Evening-mornings, how 
can they be years? Evening-mornings signify natural days, days 
that have evenings and mornings (nights and days) ; they can 
therefore not be considered as prophetic days, and consequently 
not as common years, etc. I consider it my duty, not only to teach 
the commandments of God and the faith in Jesus, but also to 
remove the stumbling blocks set up by false teachers—by which so 
many have fallen into skepticism. 

It is of great importance to understand prophecy, and to know 
the facts by which the predictions have been fulfilled, and to know 
by means of the scriptural symbolisms in what way those prophe¬ 
cies, for which the time of fulfillment has not yet come, shall also 
be fulfilled. The predominant elements of paganism were feel¬ 
ing, superstition and speculative philosophy. But the true relig¬ 
ion is a religion of light and knowledge and of faith founded upon 
the knowledge that it’s promises are sure. 

The strength of the Christian argument rests upon the ful¬ 
fillment of prophecy. How can any intelligent and inquisitive 
person become a successful teacher except he sees, that aside from 
his own conscience, his faith is confirmed by plain historical facts, 
and founded upon the testimony of the prophets of whom Christ 
is the cornerstone. “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of 
prophecy.” Paul has defined what faith is, when he said, Heb. 
11 :1, “Faith is the substance” (Gr. basis) “of things hoped for, 
the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is a substance; it is the 
foundation of hope, and a condition that can bring forth works 
that are good in the sight of God. Faith is not speculative; for it 
rests upon perfectly reliable and incontrovertible evidence. The 
evidences of the perfect fufillment of things, that were foretold by 
God’s prophets, begets the right kind of faith in the things fore¬ 
told yet to come, and a childlike trust in God. Without faith it 
is impossible to serve God aright. In addition, therefore, to what 
Paul said in verse 1 he says in verse 6: “Without faith it is im¬ 
possible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe 
that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek 
Him.” The ardent desire to please God is always rewarded. For 
example, God sent Philipp to the Ethiopian eunuch, and Peter to 
Cornelius, to preach to them and show them His will in Christ 
Jesus, that those men might attain the high calling of the elec¬ 
tion, the great inheritance of the saints (of the innumerable bride- 


6 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths . 

company). For these indeed were men that did the will of God 
and searched after God’s kingdom. 

No one should implicitly trust all the arguments of great 
preachers, but should use them rather as incentives for self-study. 
Often in a sermon are most important passages left out which 
would throw a different light on what the preacher has said. Let 
all things be proven: first, by the commandments of God; and sec¬ 
ond, by the testimony of prophecy. The Revelation which Jesus 
received of God, and which He then gave to John on the Isle of 
Patmos, is the last of the revelations of God in this dispensation. 
It unveiled the mysteries which the apostles in their time could 
not yet have known, and foretold the history of the Church of 
Christ. This revelation shows us which is the true Church of 
Christ. As he that builds his house on a solid foundation, so will 
a wise man build his hope on the foundation of revealed and firmly 
established facts. Blessed is he whose faith stands upon the solid 
foundation that is laid in Christ Jesus. For thereby he gains 
an immovable confidence and perfect assurance of the promises 
of God which are looked for. 

I wish that every one could say, like Paul, from his whole 
heart: “I know Him whom I believe.” The Scripture says> 
Faith comes, by hearing the word of God. It comes through evi¬ 
dence. Peter says: “We have a sure word of prophecy; and ye 
do well to take heed to it.” Yea, after speaking of the vision in 
the mount, he puts the testimony of prophecy above it and said: 
“We have a more sure word of prophecy.” And why? Because 
he knew the naked facts Ipy which its truth was incontrovertibly 
established. It is this prophetic word by which the truth of every 
doctrine must be tested. For this purpose also was the Revelation 
of John given to us. Thiplias seemed strange to some, for they 
say no man can understand the Revelation. But the reader will 
find, if he goes through this book, that we declare the truth. The 
Scriptures give us complete satisfaction for all our wants. Jesus 
referred to the Scripture continually. In those rude pictures of 
the first centuries we find him almost invariably represented with 
the roll of the old Scriptures in His hand, figuratively showing 
that He referred to the Scriptures in His teaching. 

My aim is to exhibit the truth and harmony of the Scriptures 
by guiding the reader to understand the prophecies. Unlike that 
old Roman who said it was more difficult for him to say much in 


Introductory . 


7 

a few words, it used to be the writer’s fault to contract too much, 
so that many could not readily understand him. He therefore 
labored for years to get out of that fault. In writing this book 
he took pains (especially in chapter I and chapter XIX) to make 
many explanations and repetitions that the respective matter 
should be better understood by those who are not favored with a 
sufficient knowledge of history, and therefore cannot so readily 
understand the prophecies. I know that I am writing chiefly for 
the poor and uneducated. For the great ones of this world and the 
rich and those highly educated in the arts of men do generally not 
take a great delight in the knowledge of God. The few excep¬ 
tional ones, therefore, who do not need all my explanations will 
kindly excuse me for the sake of others. However, by the means 
of seasonable repetitions we gain this important advantage, that 
the majority of the chapters are complete in themselves. There¬ 
fore they can very well be understood by themselves, if only the 
interpretation of prophetic symbols, given in chapter I, will be re¬ 
membered. 

The reader should not fail to look at-the footnotes; for some 
of them contain valuable information; and they do not treat on 
outside matters, but were separated for the only purpose of mak¬ 
ing. the main text appear clearer. 

Very'many prophecies are not mentioned in this book; but 
they are those that are generally well understood (as, for example, 
Dan. chapter 2). Aside from the book of Revelation, which is 
most important, we shall consider only those questions concerning 
which much misunderstanding and confusion prevails among the 
sectarian theologians. 

I know that many things are not brought out in this work 
as well as they ought to be. Other labor and constant troubles 
prevented it. And while the writing of this book has been a 
great pleasure to me, I confess and regret that the cares of this 
world and rebukes and tauntings have worried me. As to what 
remains of my studies and work, I pray for God’s blessing to 
accompany the same, that they may greatly benefit such as seek 
after truth, and may yet be instrumental in bringing many to a 
good understanding of the Holy Scripture and increasing their 
faith in this late and most dangerous hour. 

“And, finally, I wish to say yet that it is far from me to 
think that my work might be perfect, even if I could have be- 


8 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths . 


stowed more time on it. No human work is perfect. The Scrip¬ 
tures (for example, Ex. 30:31-38) show that the production of 
anything perfect is not meet to be accomplished by man in his 
present state. We strive, however, after perfection. Not that I 
already had apprehended, but I pursue after it. I pray for more 
light and earnestly solicit from my fellowmen any good advice 
(that is in accordance with the testimony of the Scripture and 
history) by which this work might be revised for a better x edition, 
if time for it should remain before our Lord’s coming, when “light 
shall spring forth as the day, and the earth shall be filled with 
the knowledge of the Lord and His glory as waters that cover the 
sea. 1 ” 

Thus had I hoped when I wrote the Introduction for the first 
edition of this book. Now in bringing out the second I imagine I 
can feel somewhat as others have felt when they expected to make 
an impression for good on society, and failed. But Jesus, when 
He saw that those of repute had rejected Him, thanked God, that 
though God had hid these things from the wise and prudent, He 
revealed them unto babes. “Even so. Father, for thus it seemed 
good in Thy sight.” When I published the first books I hoped 
that some of the great leaders of the Christian denominations 
should feel interested in my efforts to spread divine knowledge.* 
But to my sorrow 1 found some that would not condescend to read 
one single page. Some even refused the gift of a copy, whether 
it was because I am a farmer and they thought such a one was 
not capable to understand prophecy, or that some knew that I 
stand independent of human denominations and that I have at¬ 
tacked certain creeds ? However, is it not written concerning 
world-minded teachers (Isa. 56:10-11), . . . ”they are 

shepherds that know how to understand: they all turn to their 
own way, everyone after his own gain from all quarters.” I 
must expect therefore that many will cleave to their errors and 
remain in Babylon. Yea, many have told me that no man can 
understand the Revelation which was given to John. But con¬ 
cerning it, it is written, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that 
hear the words of this prophecy, and keep the things that are writ¬ 
ten therein.” How shall they keep them if they don’t understand 

* Do not apiarists, agriculturists, fruitmen and others fraternally 
consult and help one another? 



Introductory . 


9 


them? I had hoped to get help from some of the great and 
learned men, but I received not as much as one suggestion, and 
the whole work was left to me alone. But before the manuscript 
was re-written I had the pleasure of receiving some notes from a 
young man, A. Raleigh, Malvern, Ark. Those notes are signed, 
“A. Raleigh.” 

Thankful for the prayers and the words of approval from 
those by whom the first work was gladly received, and who read 
the same, I hope that they, like Nicodemus, finally gain the cour¬ 
age to defend every truth publicly. And God grant that the truths 
brought out in this w r ork shall find an entrance also into many other 
hearts and bring them nearer to God. 

In the estimation of the writer the book appears now much 
improved* from what it was. Even the title is somewhat changed, 
and therefore a new copyright has been taken. However, one par¬ 
agraph, “The Testimony of the Bible on the Use of Wine” does 
not appear in this edition, because it involved matters that did not 
properly belong among subjects of so much more importance. If 
any wish the said article, let them address me. 

To God who guides His children and causes them to know 
more and more their own weakness, and His love and the power 
of His Holy Spirit—to Him be all the honor and glory. 

* The writer’s mother tongue is not the English, and there may 
be some improper expressions and awkward turns in this work. Let 
the reader not regard such, but let him take delight in the beauty of 
God’s truth.—As to the price of the book it cannot be denied that it 
is high. It is because the means have been lacking to pay for plates, 
and one thousand copies was the limit of the printing, for which the 
writer borrowed the money and gave a mortgage on his home. No 
publisher could be found to take hold of the work. If these 1,000 
copies are sold and the debt paid, then, if time lasts, undoubtedly 
more means will be found, so that not only the work might be stereo¬ 
typed and copies produced cheaper, but also that suitable illustrations 
could be made, especially for chapters IX, X and XII. 

J. N. 


Malvern, Arkansas, 1903. 



PART ONE 


Historical Evidence of the Fulfillment of Prophecy. 


Containing (/) an Interpretation of Prophetic Symbols , 
and ( 2) the Exegesis of the Book of Revelation 
and of Certain Prophecies Connected 
Therewith. 


“Every scribe that is instructed in re¬ 
gard to the kingdom of God is like a house¬ 
holder who brings forth out of his treas¬ 
ure things new and old.” Matt. 13:552. 


Chapter I. 

The Language of Prophecy: or, the Interpretation of 
Prophetic Symbols. 


We cannot understand divine prophecy except we first under¬ 
stands its symbolic language. Unassailable testimonies prove that 
in Matt. 24:29, Jesus spake not of the physical sun and moon 
and stars, nor that Moses spake of the atmospheric expanse in Deu¬ 
teronomy 28:23, nor that. Ezekiel in his prophecy of the downfall 
of Egypt spake of the sun and moon and the stars that shine in 
the visible heavens, etc. For, as these heavenly bodies influence 
the earth and dispense thereon the different seasons, they were 
used in the said prophecies as symbols for governmental powers 
and for rulers. Sun and moon represent the religious and civil 
laws, or powers, over mankind ; and stars represent the great men 
that rule. The seat of ecclesiastic and civil powers is therefore 
emblematically called Heaven in prophecy; and the common peo¬ 
ple (being subjected and ruled by it) is called The Earth. 







Interpretation of Prophetic Symbols. 


11 


The Roman empire was a universal dominion, because it ex¬ 
tended as far as God’s people had become scattered during its exist¬ 
ence. As soon as the terrible persecutions of pagan Rome had 
ceased, when Christianity had triumphed over the heathen world 
and the Edict of Toleration had been proclaimed (then) the old 
Roman empire, the last universal empire of this world, began to 
disappear. In the language of prophecy, therefore, it was imme¬ 
diately after the days of the great persecutions against the Church 
of Christ that the sun was darkened and the moon did not give 
her light and the stars fell from heaven. Notice: one heaven, 
which represents the authority of the one (universal) Roman 
empire. And after that (and ever since then) the powers of the 
heavens were shaken. Matt. 24:29, and so they continue until 
Christ’s return. Notice, heavens (plural) representing the various 
new governments that since the fall of the Roman empire did 
arise and rule the world. When the Roman empire, the last uni¬ 
versal dominion of this world was overthrown, its sun, that is its 
religion, was first extinguished; and then disappeared its moon, 
or civil power. And then also its stars, the illustrious senatorial 
families and the great men fell from their high positions. And 
then appeared new heavens, new seats of ruling powers, namely, 
those of the horns and kingdoms that rose up in fulfillment of 
Daniel’s prophecy;* and these established themselves upon the 
ruins of Rome. Since then there was no longer one 
heaven (a single dominion) that ruled over Christians and Jews. 
The new kingdoms were never able to consolidate into one domin¬ 
ion; they were forever “shaken” by wars and other causes both in 
religious and civil respects down to the present day.f They con¬ 
tinue in this way until the return of Christ. “Then shall they 
disappear and the kingdom of God shall appear with power and 
glory, and shall rule over all. Dan. 7:27, etc. 

The word heaven, if figuratively used in prophecy, always 
denotes the seat of religious and civil authority over mankind. 
Paul, the apostle, used the same prophetic expression when he 

* The Roman, according to Daniel’s prophecy, was the fourth and 
last universal dominion of the present world. See Daniel, chapter 2 
and chapter 7. 

f The so called Christian governments also entered into unions 
with certain churches. Under this arrangement religious liberty was 
entirely crushed untR the last decade of the eighteenth centutry. 



12 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . /. 

wrote to the Ephesians that the time had come that the gospel 
should be preached not only to the poor (as had mostly been done 
till then), but also to them that “sit in heavenly places/' that is, 
to the great ones that rule. Eph. 3:10. Daniel, in chapter 4, says: 
“The heavens rule." When Moses prophesied of the coming dis¬ 
persion of the children of Israel among the nations he said, that 
the heavens* which should be over the people of Israel, shall be 
brass, and the earth iron, and that powder and dust shall fall on 
them from the heavens. See Deut. 28:23, 24. Surely no one 
can understand this as being literal; for it was not fulfilled in this 
way. Our heavenly Father lets the rain descend on the unjust 
as well as on the just. It was therefore not literal powder and 
dust that fell on the Jews from the physical heaven. But this 
prophecy was fulfilled in this, that from the different world-gov- 

* Heaven, in the singular, according to King James’ translation, 
is not correct for Deut. 28:23, but must be in the plural (heavens). 
The heavens (governments) under which the Jews were scattered, 
were many. The Hebrew word Shomayim is plural; it has no singu¬ 
lar, and must therefore be rendered in harmony with the context—at 
times in the plural and at times in the singular. The English trans¬ 
lators (like Luther) probably thought that the Septuagint should be 
followed. But in this respect the Septuagint is not correct, because 
Heavens (the plural, from the Hebrew Shomayim, meaning “uplifted 
things”) was contrary to ancient Greek views and usage. The Greeks 
used the word Heaven (ouranos) always in the singular. There is 
but one place where the Seventy have left Shomayim in the so unpop¬ 
ular plural, namely, in the psalm The heavens declare. Even in Solo¬ 
mon’s prayer they did not translate as it should be, “The heaven of 
the heavens,” but they wrote The heaven of the heaven. This proves 
of itself that the Seventy were not inspired. When we therefore con¬ 
sider how unpopular this plural in the Greek was, it is astonishing 
how perfectly the prophecies of the New Testament were given and 
written. For although the New Testament was written in the Greek, 
yet does it always correctly discern between Heaven and Heavens 
in all the prophecies where these words occur, and shows therefore in 
every substance the perfect harmony between prophecy and the known 
historical facts which since the destruction of Jerusalem have trans¬ 
pired. In this the skeptic has another proof that those prophecies 
were indicted by the Spirit of God. What a pity that in some of those 
prophecies the plural, though with difficulty used in the original Greek, 
was not given in the royally authorized English version. The domin¬ 
ion of the Greeks over the entire civilized world just before Christ’s 
advent, which was foretold by Daniel, proves also in this, as in many 
other ways, the perfection of God’s plan. 



Interpretation of Prophetic Symbols. 13 

ernrtients under which they were cast, the Jews received only evil 
and hatred and persecution until the time of the great revolution in 
France toward thO end of the eighteenth century. (The end of 
the great sufferings of the Jews from persecution almost through¬ 
out the world since the French revolution, and their rapid rising 
to honor and wealth is one of the signs given by prophecy of the 
near return of Christ.) 

The visible heavens rule the earth by rain and drouth, by 
sunshine and darkness. So, spiritually, do human authorities. 
Therefore the seats of governments are called heavens, and the 
common people are called The Earth that by right should be blessed 
by the ruling powers. But it happened to the Jews just as Moses 
had said. Instead of rain they received powder and dust, namely, 
evil. No real blessings of peace and security were given them 
until after the French revolution which marked the end of the 
1,260 prophetic days (or, common years) of the Dark Ages, the 
end, not only of the terrible sufferings of the Jews, but generally, 
of all the great religious persecutions throughout Christendom. 
After having destroyed Jerusalem the Romans began to take away 
the national rights from the Jews, allowing them, however, their 
religion. But after the downfall of the Roman empire the trib¬ 
ulations of the Jews increased. They were finally deprived not 
only of their civil but also of their religious rights, and were not 
allowed to acquire real estate. The new, so-called Christian gov¬ 
ernments (the “ten horns” of Daniel), treated the Jews indeed 
with great cruelty until the end of the 1,260 years (from 531 to 
1791). The Earth also, that is, the common people, was, in the 
language of Moses’ prophecy, as iron to them. These are the 
words of Moses: “The heavens over thy head shall be brass and 
the earth iron . . .” Imbued with blind superstitions they 

abhorred the Jews and persecuted them with fury. For example, 
during the pestilence which was called the “black death” and which 
depopulated the whole of Europe, the Jews were accused of having 
poisoned all the wells of water, etc. Thus it was that the Jews 
had powder and dust rained upon their heads from the heavens, 
and that the earth was as iron to them; just as Moses had pre¬ 
dicted before they yet had crossed the Jordan to take possession 
of the land of Canaan. 

When Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Jerusalem and had 
taken the rulers of the people captive to Babylon, Jeremiah, the 


14 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. /. 


prophet, exclaimed: “The beauty of Israel is fallen from heaven 
to the earth in the day of the Lord’s anger. . . . He burnt 

against her” (the daughter of Zion) “like fire.” Here the former 
ruling position of Mount Zion is compared to a heavenly position; 
and the Lord’s visitation in His anger is likened to fire. So also 
were the persecutions during the Dark ,Ages likened to fire which 
the cruel witnesses of God, the political and ecclesiastic powers in 
Christendom (state and church in intimate union) caused to rain 
from “heaven.” See exegesis of Rev. 11:5, 6, in l 4 of next chap¬ 
ter. Fire is therefore not only a symbol of destruction, but also 
of distress, suffering and persecution. And we shall find further 
on that the doctrine of Christ is also likened to Fire, a Fire which 
convinces men of their sins and purifies the heart. 

Now let us turn to Ezekiel’s prophecy concerning the fall of 
Egypt. In the thirty-second chapter, verses .7 and 8, the extinc¬ 
tion of the ruling powers of ancient Egypt were foretold by the 
Lord in these words: “And when I shall put thee out I will cover 
the heaven and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun 
with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. All the 
bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set dark¬ 
ness upon thy land, saith the Lord God.” Now, can anyone sup¬ 
pose that the sun and moon which shine in the physical heavens 
were put out when Egypt fell ? Does history record such a thing ? 
No, but the sun of ancient Egypt was its peculiar religion; and 
the moon of Egypt was the civil government of Egypt, the reflex 
of its religion. The religious and civil governments of Egypt 
were destroyed 200 years after Ezekiel delivered this prophecy. 
The Persians conquered Egypt and they put out the two great 
lights that had guided the ancient Egyptians in attaining their 
peculiar civilization, which to-day yet excites our wonder. Also 
the stars of Egypt fell: the great men, the priests and the leaders 
in state affairs. They were either killed or led away captive. 
Since then the Egyptians have innumerable times attempted to 
shake off their foreign rulers. But all in vain. Now for more 
than 2,400 years E^ypt has been ruled by strangers; and they shall 
rule over it according to the prophets of God until the second 
coming of Christ. Thfe continuous servile condition of Egypt has 
greatly astonished many historians who might well have under¬ 
stood the reason, if they would only have read the ancient prophets 
of Israel through whom God’s spirit declared that Egypt shall 


Interpretation of Prophetic Symbols. 15 

be “the basest of kingdofns” and that strangers shall rule over 
it until the establishment of the true kingdom of Israel, the re¬ 
building of the tabernacle of David, at the coming of Christ with 
power and glory.* 

The same language that Ezekiel used in foretelling the over¬ 
throw of Egypt was used also by Isaiah in the prophecy concern¬ 
ing the fall of Babylon, chapter 13. We read in verse 1: “The 
burden of Babylon which Isaiah, the son of Amoz, did see,” and 
then in verse 10: “The stars of heaven and the constellations 
thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his 
going forth, and the moon shall not give her light to shine.” In 
verse 17 and 19 of this prophecy itself we are told in what way 
Bab}don did fall from its heavenly or ruling position, and how the 
stars and the sun and the moon thereof went out in darkness. In 
verse 17, we read, “behold, I will stir up the Medes against 
them,” and in verse 19 we read, “And Babylon, the glory of the 
kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldee’s excellency, shall be as when 
God overthrew Sodom and Gomarrah.” By this figure it was 
shown that the glory of the kingdom of the Chaldees should com¬ 
pletely pass away, even as Sodom. For the Chaldeans came under 
the rule of other nations and their great capital did finally be¬ 
come a heap of ruins. And as we further read in the same chap¬ 
ter we find therein the explanation of the above symbolic lan¬ 
guage. Nevertheless, men known as great preachers have torn 
this prophecy to pieces. They plucked out certain verses and 
applied them to the utter destruction of the globe and the extinc¬ 
tion of the physical sun and moon and stars. 

The Babylonian kingdom was in Daniel’s prophecy the head 
of gold of that image which represented the great kingdoms of 
this world. It was the first figurative heaven, the first so-called 


* This prophecy is so much more to be wondered at, because the 
inhabitants of Egypt, although amalgamated with many nations, are 
yet of the same mind as of old. They intensely hate whatsoever is 
foreign, and wish to rule themselves. The science of craniology proves 
that the climate of Egypt shapes its inhabitants just as other climates 
have developed other races. For the skulls of the ancient mummies 
(of the pure Hamitic population) are exactly the same as those of the 
present Egyptian people, who now are thoroughly mixed with the blood 
of Semites of various nations and with *the blood of Greeks and 
Romans, etc. (Adam was red, according to Jewish tradition; yet from 
him sprang all the different races.) 



16 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch.I, 

universal dominion; because it ruled as far as God's people were 
scattered at that time. For just as soon as Nebuchadnezzar had 
conquered Palestine and some of the Jews (on that account) had 
begun to emigrate into Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt also 
and deposed Pharaoh-hophrah; and Egypt from that time onward 
was more or less tributary to the Babylonian and Persian kings 
until its fearful fall and entire ruin in the reign of Cambyses. 
But the bands of the constellations of Babylon were cut asunder 
by Cyrus, the first of the Medo-Persian kings. Its sun and its 
moon, its religious and political powers, and its stars—that is, 
its great men—went out in darkness. The thirteenth chapter of 
Isaiah plainly foretold the day of the Lord’s anger against “the 
oppressor of nations,” the “lion,” the cruel dominion of Babylon.* 
The capital itself, having for sometime yet been occupied by for¬ 
eign rulers, is finally become a heap of ruins and a dwelling place 
for wild beasts; and its former surface is sunken deep under 
ground. 

Further, Jeremiah called the time of the taking of Jerusalem 
by Nebuchadnezzar “The time of the end.” Indeed in many places 
of the Scripture are such terms as The Day of the Lord and The 
End used when only relating to the final overthrow of nations and 
kingdoms. In Daniel’s prophecy, for example, this term is applied 
to the end of the Greek dominion and the end of the Levitical, 
so called Jewish, dispensation. See Dan. 11:40, etc. In certain 
places of the New Testament the present dispensation is called 
The last time, and The last days; because this present is the last 
dispensation of grace before the setting up of the millenial reign. 
But in Matt. 24:14 Jesus referred to no later time than the end 
of the old Jewish world, the destruction of Jerusalem and the 
final dispersion of the tribes of Israel. From verse 4 to verse 29 
inclusive, Jesus had answered the first question of the disciples; 
and he did not speak of his coming until verse 30. The gospel 
was preached throughout all the Roman world long before the 
destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus spoke first of this event and of 


* Not gradually, but suddenly, did the glory of the Chaldeans dis¬ 
appear. The prophecy says, “The sun shall be darkened in its going 
forth. For suddenly, unexpectedly, during a great religious feast , 
Babylon was taken. The ‘Persian, Greek and Roman empires did not 
pass away in such a manner. They fell by degrees, not suddenly like 
the Babylonian. 



Interpretation of Prophetic Symbols. 


17 


the appearing of many Christ’s in those days, and of the great 
persecutions against His disciples. All these things fell under 
the reign of pagan Rome and preceded the darkening of the sun 
and moon and the falling of the stars from the one heaven (Matt. 
24:first part of verse 29). The Roman was, as had been foretold, 
the last universal dominion of this world. There never appeared 
another worldly empire that embraced in its boundaries all the 
nations among whom the true God was known.* With the 
fall of Rome there arose many new governments or symbolic 
heavens whose powers were “shaken.” Some of these unstable 
powers (Matt. 24:29) were of but short duration and made room 
for others. Thus many governments together have borne rule 
over the earth ever since the fall of Rome, and this condition shall 
remain until Christ’s return. The powers are shaken by constant 
commotions and strifes: the greatest always struggling to gain 
supremacy. But in vain. They were also greatly shaken by re¬ 
ligious controversies while the old pagan empires were not. It 
was never possible, nor ever will be, to unite all the powers and 
erect another universal worldly empire, or, one figurative heaven 
like as in their respective times the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, 
Greek and Roman empires successively have been, t 

The twelfth verse in Isaiah, chapter 13, “I shall make a man 
more precious than the wedge of Ophir” implies only the extinc¬ 
tion of every great name (or, man of authority and renown) 
among the Chaldean nation, t No common men are meant there- 

* No nation is noticed in prophecy until it receives a knowledge 
of the true God. When we hear that aleardy in the days of the Apos¬ 
tles the gospel was preached to every nation under heaven, we under¬ 
stand that it was preached as far as the empire of Rome extended, 
and not that it was then already preached to any nations beyond. It 
was not yet preached to the white nations of Northern Germany, 
Scythia and Scandinavia, nor the Hindoos, nor the Chinese, nor the 
Nigers of Africa nor the American Indians, etc. 

f Inasmuch as in their respective times they ruled as far as the 
word of God had been preached. Beyond their boundaries the dark¬ 
ness of paganism was complete. 

X Compare Isa. 13:12 with Rev. 11:13.—“Names of men” are great 
men. Compare this also with Jeremiah’s prophecy: that Judea was 
to be lelc void of its inhabitants, although the Chaldeans carried only 
the elders, chiefs and craftsmen (and not all the people of the Jews) 
to Babylon. The poor and humble people that were left in the land 



18 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. /. 

with. From the reading of the whole thirteenth chapter of Isaiah 
it is plain that the Medo-Persians, when they had taken Babylon, 
“thrust through” every man that was loyal to the Chaldean gov¬ 
ernment, and that “their women were ravished, their infants 
dashed to pieces” and that on the other hand the wealthy and 
highstanding men that the Babylonians had brought captive from 
other countries, like the Jews, became free: “Every man fleeing 
to his own country.” Certainly the foreigners strove to return 
to their own estates. All this proves how much this prophecy 
was perverted by applying it to the end of all things, and how 
thereby many have added to and taken from the word of God and 
thrown it into confusion. 

Likewise in Ez. 29:11, the common multitudes of Egypt are 
not taken cognizance of. But the “great ones” are represented as 
men, and tyrants and oppressors are spoken of as beasts.t These 
Men and Beasts were taken captive by Cambvses, the Persian, and 
exiled among foreign nations forty years (525-485 B. C.) until 
Darius I. Then the Men returned, but the Beasts, the old op¬ 
pressors, never returned. Ezekiel, chapter 30, contains the farth¬ 
est-reaching and most exact prophecy of the fearful fall of Egypt, 
both the desolation of her ancient religion and her political power. 

In Ezekiel, chapter 28, and in chapter 31:3, 16 and 18, the 
great men of the ancient world are likened unto trees of the gar¬ 
den of Eden. The prince of Tyrus with his great mercantile 
glory and maritime power was likened even unto “the anointing 
cherub that covereth,” etc. 

Another much-abused prophecy we have in the fourth chapter 
of Jeremiah. It is a vision concerning Judah. False teachers 
have perverted also this by applying it to the end of the whole 
present world. And upon their erroneous interpretation they 
built other errors. For example, they say the belief in a coming 

were not noticed by the Chaldeans, because they were not apt to rebel. 
A fiery judgment fell on the proud princes and elders, but the poor 
that had been oppressed would have prospered in the land according to 
the word of the Lord when they were left, had they not afterwards 
been deceived to go into Egypt contrary to the commandment of God. 
Not until their self-willed departure into Egypt was the land of Judah 
emptied of its inhabitants. 

t Are such as live from the labor and the life of the poor not 
like beasts of prey? 



Interpretation of Prophetic Symbols. 


19 


millenium is ridiculous! The fourth chapter of Jeremiah con¬ 
tains an exhortation to the Jews to turn from their evil ways, 
and (2) a prophecy concerning the conquest of Judah by the 
Babylonians—verses 23-27. The prophet saw in a vision the land 
void and desolate, the earth without form, also the birds of heaven 
had fled. For when the Babylonians had carried away the rulers, 
priests and elders, and all the handicraftsmen, the people (figura¬ 
tively, the earth) was left in confusion. And when the residue 
of the people (Jer. 40:7, etc.) emigrated into Egypt (Jer. 43) 
the land was “void and desolate.” Also “the birds of heaven” 
had fled (verse 25). These birds were greedy government officers 
that used to prey on the people like sparrows on a grainfield. Now 
the birds had nothing more to get. But the tax gatherers of the 
Jewish government had been removed to Babylon before. In 
chapter 12, verse 9, Jeremiah likened the enemies that were ready 
to pounce upon Judah and rob the people of their heritage to 
birds, saying that “The birds round about are against her.” 
Therefore extortioners, robbers and the greedy government contract¬ 
ors for the raising of taxes (as it used to be under the old king¬ 
doms) are likened to birds of prey. Also King Cyrus was called 
A ravenous bird.* If we read the whole of the fourth chapter 
of Jeremiah, and do not sunder the connection between the pas¬ 
sages, we cannot fail to see plainly that it does not apply to the end 
of all things. We shall in that way understand the meaning of 
the symbols and find the substance under the garment of the same 
metaphors in which all the divine prophecies are clothed. For, 
if Jeremiah had here spoken of the end of all things, how could it 
have been possible for him to say, “That they flee for the noise 
of the horsemen,” etc., or that Zion complained of being afflicted 
by “murderers?” It would be contrary to every rule were we 
to detach certain verses to prove from them separately the literal 
destruction of the whole earth. Alas, much of such mutilating of 
the Scripture has been done. The language of this chapter is 
very easily understood. The lion, the destroyer of the Gentiles, 
as he is called, was the king of Babylon. He had subdued all 


* Namely in Isaiah, chapter 45 and chapter 46. In that prophecy 
Cyrus is called by name 170 years before he was born. He was the 
great conqueror, whom God chose to deliver Israel from the Baby¬ 
lonians. 



20 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch.I. 

the ancient nations with whom the Israelites were acquainted, 
except the Arabs. The trumpet, spoken of in verse 19, is not the 
trumpet announcing Christ's coming, as has been argued, for it 
is plainly stated that the said trumpet was an “alarm of war.” 
The Earth mentioned in verse 23 is the Jewish people of whom 
the land was left empty. “The heaven” could give them no light 
nor guidance; it was dark: for all its ruling and directing power 
was gone. The priests and princes and all the great men of the 
Jews were either killed or taken captive. If this had been a pre¬ 
diction of the destruction of all the earth by the Lord, then no 
such language could have been used as we find in verses 29, 30 
and 31. Those who wearied the Jews were called “murderers.” 
Never has such a name been given to the angels that do the will 
of God and gather His elect in the time of judgment. And as 
to those who were called Lovers of the Jews but afterward turned 
against them, were they not the Babylonians whose friendship the 
Jews had coveted instead of relying upon God, and to whose 
ambassadors King Hezekiah had proudly shown his treasures? 
Were the horsemen and bowmen of verse 29 not the Chaldeans? 
If not, who could they be? This will now suffice for Jer. 4, and 
the symbols contained therein. 

As to the twenty-fifth of Jeremiah and many other chapters 
of predictions concerning the overthrow of certain nations and 
kingdoms, the symbolic language contained in them cannot sup¬ 
port anything that is not in harmony with the context. There 
can be no weightier evidence of the truth of a prophecy than the 
testimony of the historical facts which prove the harmony of the 
symbols therein contained with the same symbols in all other 
passages throughout all the Holy Scriptures. Let us have no 
human theories, but only the word of God and historical facts. 
If, for example, we compare Isa. 5:26-30, with Jer. 6:22-31, it will 
be seen that the prophecies explain themselves. The word of God 
connot be turned and perverted with impunitv. Whosoever does 
attack it (or, figuratively speaking, “does fall on it”) will be brok¬ 
en to shivers. Astonishment and confusion will in the end seize 
every false teacher: for he is bound to fall from one contradiction 
into another. 

Fire is very often a symbol of great distress. When 
Jeremiah lamented the destruction of the temple and the captivity 
of Judah by the Babylonians, he said: “The Lord burnt against 


Interpretation of Prophetic Symbols. 


21 


Jacob like a flaming fire that devoureth round about . 
and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of 
the daughter of Zion; He poured out His fury like fire.” The 
Apostle Peter says, “The heavens and the earth which are now 
are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of 
judgment . . . wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be 

dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.” The 
fact that the Scripture tells us that the heaven shall be rolled 
together as a scroll (Ilev. 6:14), and again that the heavens are 
reserved unto fire (2 Pet. 3:7), ought of itself put people to think¬ 
ing. For the Scriptures inform us only of things that concern 
the fallen race and its salvation. They do not instruct us in 
astronomy; nor do they give account of the ages that passed away 
before the Lord prepared the earth for the abode of man, nor of 
many other things which do not concern our spiritual welfare. 
Why should the physical heavens be involved in the destruction 
of the sinners on the earth? But, compared with one another 
throughout the Bible the prophecies show that the word heaven 
has often a symbolic meaning, and that in that case it always 
stands for the seat of the political and religious powers that govern 
mankind on the earth, be they pagan or Christian; and, further, 
that the word Earth in the same figurative sense represents the 
people that are subject to the ruling powers. 

The misunderstanding of these and other symbolic expres¬ 
sions were the cause that the events which were to occur under 
the sixth seal (Rev. 6) have been thought to lie yet in the future, 
although a great many events due under the seventh seal have 
already been fulfilled. What inconsistency! Could the seventh 
seal be opened before the sixth?* As to the true meaning of the 
above-mentioned prophecy of Peter, the Apostle, we are informed 
by numerous passages of Scripture that the present governments, 
or political heavens, shall be overturned at the second coming of 
Christ, and that the kingdom over all shall be given to the people 
of GoS, and that this transfer shall come after great commotions 

* On this see the Interpretation of the Sixth Seal in chapter IX. 
The rolling together of “the heaven” in Revelation, chapter 6, was 
the passing away of the ancient Roman empire. But the destruction 
of “the heavens” (plural—not of one heaven, but many, whereof Peter 
speaks) will take place in the time of the return of Christ, when 
the present governments (plural) will be abolished. 



22 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. I, 

and troubles that will fall on. the ungodly world. We have suf¬ 
ficiently proven that the seats of the ruling powers or govern¬ 
ments are in prophecy called heavens and that the submissi\e 
people under them are figuratively The Earth. In the Revelation 
as well as in the gospels the universal dominion of Rome was 
never called heavens (plural), hut always heaven (singular). 
Daniel called the present numerous governments “The ten horns” 
and Jesus called them the powers of the heavens (plural).* Con¬ 
stitutions and laws are binding elements that keep nations together. 
To them Peter referred. These constitutions and laws, being 
men-made and therefore imperfect and often contrary to the law 
of God, shall be dissolved amidst great anguish and distress, and 
the kingdom of God shall be set up in power and glory over the 
whole earth, Satan bound (Rev. 20), the ungodly overthrown 
(Daniel; Ps. 2, etc.), and the will of God, namely. His righteous 
law, shall be fulfilled on earth as it is in heaven. Thus says the 
Lord, Zeph. 3:8, 9, . . . “All the earth shall be devoured with 
the fire of My jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a 
pure language, that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord, 
to serve Him with one consent.” “And I will send a fire on 
Magog and among them that dwell carelesslv in the isles, . . . 

and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in 
Israel,” Ez. 39:6, 7. Etc. Now, notice, if by the fire of God’s 
judgments the world should be destroyed, how could men serve 
Him? The prophet Isaiah says, “When Thy judgments are in 
the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness,” 
Isa. 26:9. This was foreshadowed to some extent when after the 
great calamities brought on by the wars of the first Napoleon, a 
state of general piety toward God prevailed for some years over all 
Europe, among rulers and the rich as well as among the poor. 
God’s judgments serve for the correction and benefit of them that 
are meek and humble. God is Love. He cares for the sinner. 
Therefore He has prepared a ransom from sin, a way to salvation 
for those who reform. “For God so loved the world that He gave 
His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him may not 
perish, but have everlasting life.” “I have no delight in the death 

* In the gospels of Mark and Luke they are called “The heavens” 
(plural) the same as in Matt. 24:29, and in the epistle of Peter. Unfor¬ 
tunately King James’ translation of this passage in Christ’s prophecy 
in Mark and Luke is not correct after the Greek originals. 



Interpretation of Prophetic Symbols. 


23 


of the sinner, saith the Lord, but that he should turn and live.” 
In the second Psalm it is foretold that men will yet be ex¬ 
horted to obedience in that day when the Lord shall have set His 
king upon Mount Zion, in order that they should not perish. The 
Name of the Lord is proclaimed by Himself as “The Lord, the 
Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in 
goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving in¬ 
iquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear 
the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children 
unto the third and fourth genartion.” (But we will speak on 
this subject in the second part of this hook.) 

As Fire is a symbol of destruction and also of suffering and 
of God’s judgments, it is therefore also a symbol of doctrine, for 
example, in Isa. 50:10, 11. When Jesus said that He came to 
bring fire on the earth He certainly meant the doctrine of God 
which He preached, and which searches men’s hearts, enlightening 
them and convicting them of their sins. Divine doctrine serves 
the same purpose as the judgments. Both are tending to educate 
toward godliness. 

In 2 Sam. 22:7-17, the “foundations of the. heavens” denote 
the strength of the kingdoms over which David prevailed. Waters 
typify multitudes of people. In verses 9 to 15 is set forth in 
symbolic langauge the help which David received from God. In 
verse 16 the expression “channels of the sea” beautifully typifies 
the instability of public opinion. What is more unstable and 
changing than water? Just as unstable are the masses of the 
people in times of anarchy and seditions. Therefore the Sea 
which is tossed by every wind typifies restless and discontented 
multitudes. After Absalom’s revolt the people clave one day to 
David and the next deserted him again. For such reasons David 
praised God for His deliverance, saying, “The Lord drew me out 
of many waters,” etc. Compare with this language the prophecy 
in Rev. 17 :1. There we read of the great whore (the false or 
impure church) that sitteth upon many “waters:” for she had 
dominion over many “nations.” In the stormy time when the 
Roman empire was overthrown and all the nations of the world 
were in great commotion, Satan succeeded in giving her his seat 
and great authority which she then used in persecuting the saints. 
See Rev. 13:2, 7. In this passage the false church appears, more- 


24 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. I. 

over, as a beast, because of her tyranny and worldly covetousness 
and persecutions.* * 

Rain and dew are products of the atmosphere, and we com¬ 
monly say, they fall from the heavens. Therefore the words Rain 
and Dew are used in prophecy as symbolic terms for the blessings 
which people should derive from good governments. But fire, 
hail and dust denote troubles that come upon people from tyranni¬ 
cal rulers, whether they be ecclesiastic or civil. 

Further, in the figurative language of prophecy the word 
Mountain stands for king or kingdom, for the ruler as well as for 
the state;* and the word Valley stands correspondingly for the 
dependent people. For example, the prophet Jeremiah said that 
the king of Babylon came against Jerusalem with all other Moun¬ 
tains, namely, with the vassal and confederate kings that were 
with him. In foretelling the destruction of the kingdom of Baby¬ 
lon the Lord said by Jeremiah: “I am against thee and will make 
thee a Burnt Mountain.” And Isaiah prophesied of Christ's mil¬ 
lennial reign on earth and of the perfect equality, peace and hap¬ 
piness that shall exist under the same, saying, “Every valley shall 
be filled and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and 
the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall Re 
made smooth. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” The 
mountains or kingdoms of the present world shall be put under 
the saints after Christ's coming. For “the kingdom over all king- 


* Through the fall of Roman paganism Satan had lost his seat 
over the nations as far as God’s people had been scattered up to that 
time. This was in the fourth century, just before the flood of the 
northern barbarians commenced to overwhelm the Roman empire. At 
this very time also the popedom arose amidst the tumult of the nations 
as out of a tempestous sea, Rev. 13:1, and it strove to gain the suprem¬ 
acy over the world. Finally it succeeded and kept its power during 
the Dark Ages. These and all the great events that were to transpire 
before the return of Christ were shown to John already before Jerusa¬ 
lem was destroyed. Rev. 12:4; Rev. 1:1, and other passages prove this. 

* Louis XIV of France therefore uttered a scriptural truth when 
he said, “L’e’tat c’est moi.” And was not also in the great French 
revolution the dominant party called The Mountain? Further, did 
not Jesus refer to His person when He said to the Pharisees, “Behold, 
God’s kingdom is among you?” For God’s kingdom is a monarchy, 
and without Christ’s presence, the representative of the royal majesty 
of God, the kingdom cannot come. 



Interpretation of Prophetic Symbols. 


25 


doms shall be given to the people of the Most High” (Dan. 
7:26-27). Adn Christ is their head. The dreanis of anarchists 
and worldly-minded socialists, and of all those that presume to 
build outside of Christ, will never be realized. Only “where the 
spirit of the Lord dwelleth there is liberty.” Peace cannot come 
until after the advent of Christ and after the setting-up of His 
kingdom. Then shall the law of the Lord govern the earth. 
True liberty can be enjoyed only by those who are one with God 
and-who desire that no other but the will of God be done; for 
no other but that alone is for the best. “Blessed are they that 
hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.” 
The kingdom of God, the Mountain of the Lord shall surely appear 
and shall stand in the latter days over all the mountains and 
God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

The foregoing explanations suffice now to lead to an under¬ 
standing of the prophecies considered in the following pages. 
Other symbols .will be easily understood as they come in view. 
Always remember what Peter said in regard to the interpretation 
of prophecy, namely, that “Ho prophecy of the Scripture is of its 
own interpretation. (In the original Greek, 2 Pet. 1:20 does 
not read “. . . its private . . as found in King 

James’ translation, but; its own . . ..) If, therefore, we 

should take the prophetic word according to the letter, and not 
compare Scripture with Scripture, we should never be able to 
understand it. 

In conclusion we list six of the most important prophetic 
terms and their meaning: 

Heaven—Seat of ruling powers: politic and spiritual. 

Sun—Religious power, or religious government. 

Moon—Political power. 

Sea—Restless, discontented, revolutionary people. 

Earth—Peaceable people, such as are in quiet subjection “to 
the powers that be.” 

Fire—(1) destruction, (2) tribulation, (3) the purifying 
doctrine of God’s word. 


26 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


Chapter II 


The History of the Christian Church to the End of the 
Second Woe (1840); divided into six parts: 


§ I. The Warfare and Sufferings of the Church under Pagan Rome. 

(Foretold by our Lord in Matt. 24, verses 1 to 28, inclusive). 

When we compare te twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew with 
the records which Mark and Luke have given of the same prophecy, 
it is evident and also found to be in accordance with the subse¬ 
quent historical facts, that up to verse 29 Jesus spake concerning 
the destruction of Jerusalem and the numerous false Christs that 
appeared at that time and led thousands upon thousands of 
Jews and proselytes to destruction by exciting them to rebellion 
against the Romans; and, secondly, that he spake of the dissemina¬ 
tion of the gospel throughout the Roman empire and the suffer¬ 
ings of His disciples in those days.* The Jews were the first that 
persecuted the Christians. The Romans regarded the Christians 
at first as a Jewish sect, and did therefore not trouble them for 
many years. But finally, urged by the Jews and especially by the 
accusations of Nero that the Christians had caused the conflagra¬ 
tion of Rome, the Romans commenced to persecute the Christians 
as enemies of the state. Then the most severe persecutions pre¬ 
vailed; the disciples of Christ were hated in all the world, by 
Jews and pagans alike. In the days of pagan Rome the Jews 
always fared well as to their religion. Even after the second re- 

* Brother A. Raleigh (undoubtedly before he had read the next 
pages) commented on this sentence thus: “Brother Nuesch is mis¬ 
taken here. Our Lord referred from verses 1 to 15 to the struggles of 
the church during the whole Gospel Age, and from verses 15 to 22 to 
the troubles of the Jews caused by the destruction of Jerusalem. 
Verses 22 to 29 have a twofold application, namely: primarily they 
refer to the destruction of Jerusalem and the troubles resulting there¬ 
from, and secondarily to the end of the Gospel Age. Luke, 20:20-24, 
refers to the troubles upon fleshly Israel, culminating in the destruc¬ 
tion of Jerusalem.—A. Raleigh.” 





Prophecy of Christ: Matth. 24:1-28 Inch 


27 


bellion (or, we ought to say, “the rebellion of the ten tribes/’ A. D. 
130, in Galilee) when the Komans deprived them of all their 
other privileges, they did not trouble them in the exercise of their 
religion. For, they respected the ancient, sacred institutions of 
the Jews as those of a nation. The Christians, however, came to 
be regarded as a most dangerous s$ct that were guilty of “the un¬ 
pardonable offense of depising every known religion in the world.” 

And what a stumbling block to the weak among the Christ¬ 
ians, and to multitudes of people that otherwise would have 
embraced Christianity must have been the temple while it yet 
stood at Jerusalem, and the divinely appointed priesthood that 
officiated therein! (See Paul’s letter to the Galatians.) For as 
long as the temple was yet standing many weak Christians stum¬ 
bled and regarded as necessary for salvation the observance of old 
sacrificial ceremonies—seeing that they were still administered by 
the Levitical priesthood which had been ordained by God. And 
when at last twenty, twenty-five, thirty, thirty-five and more years 
had run out in the course of time and yet the prophecy of Jesus 
remained unfulfilled—then pagans as well as Jews stood aloof of 
being converted. Therefore the most perilous time for Christian¬ 
ity lasted until the destruction of the temple. These were the days 
whereof Jesus spake in verse 22, saying, “Except those days should 
be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect’s 
sake they are shortened.”* Not so dangerous, but still terrible 
were yet the remaining years of pagan persecution until they ended 
A. D. 313 with the proclamation of Constantine’s Edict, which 
granted Toleration to the Christian religion. 

The greatest suffering known, as verse 21 says, fell upon the 
Jews at the siege of Jerusalem. On this account Jesus warned 
His disciples to flee immediately when they should see Jerusalem 
encompassed with an army. He said: “Pray ye that your flight 
be not in winter or on the Sabbath day; for there shall be great 
tribulatiop, such ag never was nor shall be;” Luke, 21:20. We see 
Jesus rated the sufferings of the Jews at that time above anv suf- 

* Concerning the elect see Interpretation of Rev. ch. 12 in Ch. IV; 
also Ch. XIX. Brother A. Raleigh says concerning the above: “While 
verse 22 applies primarily to those perilous times for the Christian 
doctrines, it is also typical to the papal persecutions when many of 
the Christians denied the faith to save their lives.” 



28 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . II, 2 /. 

ferings his followers endured during the great power of the papacy 
in the Dark Ages, when over fifty millions lost their liv§s; and 
above the terrible persecutions under the Jewish hierarchy before 
the destruction of Jerusalem, and above the persecutions and tor¬ 
tures which the Christians endured under pagan Rome. For in 
all their sufferings the martyrs of Christ could rejoice in the Lord. 
This was not so with the Jews during the seige and destruction 
of Jerusalem. They could not rejoice in the Lord. They were 
in the greatest confusion. Having boasted of being God’s chosen 
people they then realized that God had forsaken them. Yea, 
V though famine was so great that women ate their offspring and 
1,100,000 people perished in the siege, yet the weight of humilia¬ 
tion and the thoughts of a coming endless torment in the fires of 
Tartarus, as they were taught by the Pharisees, was far greater 
than their physical sufferings.* These things we mention because 
some have interpreted verse 21 falsely by applying it to a period 
of the Dark Ages, and have strayed away from the regular suc¬ 
cession of events as they were foretold. As to the shortening of 
the perilous days whereof Jesus spake in verse 22, notice, that it 
lay in nothing else but in the relief that came to the Christians 
through the fulfillment of this very prophecy of Jesus. It lay 
in the removal of the great religious power which the Jews had 
wielded throughout the Roman empire, in the destruction of the 
temple and the scattering of the Levitical priesthood, in the im¬ 
possibility of administering any longer the sacrificial laws of the 
old covenant according to the lawful appointments, and conse¬ 
quently the greater uplifting of the truth as it is in Jesus before 
the world. The great influence of the Jews and all their power 
to persecute Christ was now gone. The Gentiles saw that God no 
longer regarded the priesthod which once He had appointed to 
make atonement for the transgression of His commandments. 
Although pagan persecutions still continued they were of less 
importance. The claims of paganism are nothing. False doc¬ 
trines which hy and by be'gan to arise in some Christian commu¬ 
nities were far more dangerous. Pagan Rome, however, of her 
own accord did not relax in her impotent hatred until in 313, 
when by force of the entirely altered circumstances the Edict of 

* See the exegesis of the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus in 
Ch. XXIV. 



Prophecy of Christ. 


29 


Toleration was proclaimed. This accomplished the fulfillment 
of the prophecy of Christ from the first verse of Matthew, chapter 
24, to verse 28, inclusive. During that short time, in the face of 
seemingly unsurmountable obstacles the gospel of Christ had been 
preached twice throughout the whole Roman world, first under 
the first seal, and again from the opening of the third to the end 
of the fifth seal; and it had gained the victory. The second seal 
concerns the perilous time of which Jesus had spoken and the 
wars of the Israelites against the Romans, whi°h were ended in 
Galilee A. D. 130.—Concerning the rising of false doctrines and 
all the warfare of the church during the time of the five seals 
(up to A. D. 313) see the Interpretation of Rev. 6:1-11, in 
chapter IX. 


§ 2. And now we come down to the time of the fulfill¬ 
ment of the twenty-ninth verse of the twenty-fourth chapter of 
Matthew, the words of Jesus: 

“ Immediately after the tribulations of those days shall the 
sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 
and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers 
of the heavens shall be shaken.” 

In this utterance of our Lord we find the same prophetic 
language that was used in the old Scripture, and of which we have 
spoken in the foregoing chapter. The symbolic language of the 
old prophets interprets this prophecy of Christ. Impossibly could 
it be otherwise, for the Scripture says (2 Pet. 1:20, 21, etc.) that 
it was the same spirit that spoke through the mouth of all the 
holy prophets since the world began. Jesus says, “Search the 
Scriptures: . . . they testify of me. ” Rev. 19:10, says: 

“The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”* 

The testimony of the Scirpture leaves us in no doubt as to 
what the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the 

* It is through the fulfillment of the old Scripture that we learn 
the meaning of the symbolic language in the New Testament. Many 
say, “We have no use for the old Scripture.” But Paul praised the 
Bereans for having searched the Scriptures to see whether his preach¬ 
ing was in harmony with them or not. In like manner he referred 
to the authority of the old Scriptures in his second letter to Timothy. 
Jesus himself referred to them continually. 




30 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. //, § 2. 

stars was bound to signify, and history also proves it. For as 
soon as the tribulations of pagan persecutions had been stopped, 
the fall of the old Roman empire began. The Kom&n was the 
last universal dominion or figurative heaven, of this world.* Its 
religion, that is its sun, went out first. This was followed by the 
disappearing of its moon, or its civil power. Constantine already 
left Rome and made Byzantium (which he named Constantinople) 
the capital of the empire in the East. Soon thereafter com-' 
menced the invasions of the northern barbarians who overwhelmed 
all the other parts of the empire.! Already in 486 the old Roman 
empire had entirely disappeared from the political horizon by the 
Frankish conquest of the last remnant that was left of it in Gaul. 
And thereupon its great men, that is its stars, fell. Also the 
fifth and sixth seals, Rev. 6:9 to 17, and Rev. 7 (of which see the 
interpretation in Ch. XI) show, in harmony with the historical 
facts, that as soon as pagan persecution had ceased and the 144,000 
elect from the tribes of Israel had been gathered up to God, the 
four angels. Rev. 7:1, let loose the storm that swept the last, 
universal dominion out of existence. 

The sun and moon of the old pagan Roman empire went out 
like as in their time the sun $nd moon of the old Egyptians and 
Babylonians had gone out. And as the falling of the stars in 
the prophecies concerning the old Egypt and Babylon represented 
the fall of their great men. so here. The stars of the fourth figura¬ 
tive heaven fell to the earth; namely, the great men and illustrious 
families of the Roman empire, those that stood high above the 
common people. 

How fitting are the biblical metaphors! For, as the sun and 
moon shine on the earth, and as the true symbolic sun and moon 
of God’s kingdom, namely, the immutable law of God and the 
law of ordinances and judgments reflecting therefrom (or based 
thereon) had been the lights in the Theocracy of Israel, so that 
Israel would have had no need of another king besides the Lord; 
so, on the other hand, were the religious and civil governments of 

* It was a universal dominion; because it ruled over all countries 
as far as the true God was at that time known. 

f During the brief interval of but one year (394) the great Theo¬ 
dosius succeeded to unite the East and West of the empire once more 
for the last time. At his death, history says, the two realms rolled off 
to each side of his coffin. 



Prophecy of Christ: Matth . 24:29. 


31 


the heathen their own lights in which they walked. They and all 
false teachers walk in the sparks of their own fire, in the light 
which they have kindled, which is but darkness compared with 
the true light from God. See Isa. 50:10, 11, and Matt. 6:23. 

When “the heaven” (one heaven) was departing, that is, 
when the ruin of the last universal dominion (the Roman empire) 
was ip progress—the new, so-called “ten horns” or modem king¬ 
doms (plural) began to arise. Therefore after Jesus had spoken 
of the going out of the sun and moon, and the falling of the 
stars from heaven, or in other words, of the disappearing of the 
ruling powers of the Roman world, he used in the next sentence 
the plural, saying, that thereafter “the powers of the ‘heavens’* 
shall be shaken.” The new political heavens which took the place 
of the former single one, were thenceforth shaken, even to the 
present dajr, and shall so continue until the second coming of 
Christ. Since the fall of Rome and the establishment of the new 
governments (named Horns in the prophecy of Daniel), there 
never was another universal kingdom ruling over all the scattered 
people of God; nor will there be one until Christ’s kingdom is set 
up. Everyone is bound to see that these new ruling powers were 
in continual disturbance both in religious and civil respects. 
Popery and various sects and also the Mohammedan deception 
arose, and also in political respects troubles are still 
present. The kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent 
have taken it by force. But all the efforts of many kings and 
emperors in attempting to establish another universal dominion, 
like the Roman has been,' were in vain. As to this matter Daniel 
prophecied long before Christ, that the alliances into which rulers 
should enter would prove as mixtures of iron and clay that never 
can solidly" unite. The world is yet divided; the ruling powers 
are still shaken. And while religious controversies are now not 

* It is to be regretted that the transl’ation of King James threw 
this prophecy into confusion. In the testimonies of Mark and Luke 
which are parallel with Matt. 24:29, the plural Heavens was put in 
the singular. In the original the three witnesses Matthew, Mark and 
Luke, agree. Luke says in chapter 21:26, “The powers of the heavens 
shall be shaken;” and Mark (in chapter 13:24, 25) says: “But in 
those days, after that tribulation, shall the sun be darkened, and the 
moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall; and 
the powers that are in the heavens shall be shaken.” 



32 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. II. 

as prominent as they have been, other troubles confront the world, 
namely, the troubles caused by open atheism, which is the sign 
of the soon appearing of the Son of Man. 

§3. The Uprising of the Popedom; Its History from the 
Victory of the Church of Christ over Paganism until 
the Reign of the Two Witnesses of Rev. 11:3. 

(A. D. 313 to 531). 

The Edict of Toleration sealed the doom of paganism and 
exalted the religion of Jesus Christ. Satan, who until then had 
ruled absolute in the governments of this world, experienced a 
great fall. Through the fall of paganism he was cast down from 
his ruling sphere (see Rev. 12). But while the Toleration of 
Christianity was a great blessing it was on the other hand used by 
wicked men for selfish purposes. It facilitated the spreading of 
hierarchical tyranny, and finally brought on the enforcement of 
man-made doctrines by the state. The kingdom of God suffered 
violence, and the violent took it by force. 

Therefore with the same year (313) of the emancipation of 
the persecuted church there begins a period of corrupting influ¬ 
ences. The bishops strove after worldly honors and power and 
the establishment of a hierarchy which finally culminated in the 
close union of that ecclesiastic tyranny, the so-called “ortho¬ 
dox” (Roman) church, with the state. The year 531 marks the 
beginning of the era of the terrible persecutions entered upon by 
the said church against them that would not accept her doctrines. 
Already in the reign of Constantine, immediately after the procla¬ 
mation of the Edict of Toleration, spiritual tyranny and worldly 
covetousness reached a high degree in many communities. Dissen¬ 
sions and .controversies multiplied, and already in fifteen years 
became so vehement as to shake all Christendom. Gradually the 
papacy advanced. Sometimes, however, it also experienced re¬ 
verses. It did not obtain all at once its great power which it pos¬ 
sessed in the Dark Ages when the secular power stood to such a 
degree in the service of the impure church as to shed by her bid¬ 
ding the blood of God’s people. In the fourth and fifth centuries 
dissenters like Novatian could yet live apart and gather together 
new congregations almost unmolested, losing only their former 
rights in church property, etc. There were instances of banish- 



The Rise of the Popedom. 


33 


ment, but at no time was life endangered by the legitimate civil 
powers during this period. The day of violent persecution, when 
the woman of Rev. 12, that is, the true church of Christ, left the 
general confusion and fled into the wilderness (Rev. 12:14-17), 
had not come yet.* * 

Worldliness, superstitions and man-made doctrines increased 
rapidly in this period. Athanasius, the great champion of the 
doctrine of the Homoonsion,* had introduced the idle monks also 
into Italy, and not only Syria and Egypt, but Italy also became 
soon full of the worship of saints and relics. In 374 the Trinita¬ 
rians or “Orthodox” invited Ambrose to take the office of bishop 
at Milan, while as }Tt he was but a cathechumen (a learner, not yet 
baptized). Also in the year 361 Eusebius, a civil magistrate, 
was made bishop of Cappadocian Caesarea before he was baptized. 
See Neander, vol. Ill, page 127. What a great change! In the 
days of the primitive church men were excommunicated for hold¬ 
ing state-offices; now politicians were elected to the episcopacy even 
before they were baptized! These facts teach also that infant 
baptism was yet far from having become a general practice at 
that time, and that men deferred baptism when they thought them¬ 
selves yet too worldly-minded, although born and raised by Christ¬ 
ian parents. It shows also that many had yet the right concep¬ 
tion of the importance of God’s commandments, and of the knowl¬ 
edge that the law of faith (which was added to the fundamental 
law, the same as the law of works had been added through Moses 
because of transgression) cannot save a man if he should not first 
repent and be turned to love God and keep His fundamental law 
with all his heart. Emperor Theodosius, the next greatest cham¬ 
pion of the Homoousion, likewise chose for the bishopric of Con¬ 
stantinople a senator that was not yet baptized. Such was the 
. state of Christendom in some countries already about the end of 
the fourth century. 

During the reigns of Constantine’s successors who still wore 
the title of Pontifex Maximus, the impure church was not yet able 

* The powers of Darkness could never prevail against her to 
destroy her; for she found her abode prepared of God, where she was 
nourished until the 1,260 years of papal and sectarian persecutions 
were ended. See Ch. IV. 

* The Homoousion makes Jesus equal with the Father and de¬ 
stroys the doctrine of subordination (of the Son to the Father). 



34 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. //, § 3. 

to enter into such an intimate union with the state as was com¬ 
pacted in the reign of Justinian, 531. Constantine already 
favored the papacy and hated the Christians of Asia (the so-called 
Ebionites) ; but his ultra-pagan ideas and the papacy could not 
agree as far as to be quite able to establish a state 
church . Here and there true Christianity was yet well- 
known, and this was the great obstacle. The opinion which is 
held by many that Constantine wished to establish a new state- 
church amalgamated of both Christian and pagan elements is 
undoubtedly correct, but it was impossible. His views were yet 
too extremely pagan. He proclaimed his famous Sunday law in 
the exercise of his pagan office of highpriest (Pontifex Maximus). 
Even his greatest flatterers and the strictest adherents to Sunday 
observance (for ex. Mosheim) do not set his conversion until two 
years after the enactment of his Sunday law. The unanimous 
testimony of history is that he proclaimed his Sunday law when 
he was a special worshipper of the Sungod (Appollo, the Baal of 
the Phoenicians) and that he did it in honor to that (his favorite) 
deity, to whom he sometimes sacrificed whole hecatombs of steers. 
Nearly all the great historians say that he was a pagan and an 
extremely passionate man during all his life until just before his 
death when he demanded baptism. This was sixteen years after 
he proclaimed his Sunday law. The language of the said law 
proves itself that it was to be observed in honor of the Sun.* 

* It commences thus: “Let all judges, townpeople and handicrafts¬ 
men rest on the venerable day of the Sun . . Notice the sim¬ 

ilarity between Constantine’s government and that of the United 
States of America. Constantine had first issued an edict which pro¬ 
tected the Christians from further persecution, and then loaded on 
them and all men alike his pagan Sunday law. The United States 
of America did the same. After the free exercise of religious liberty 
had been promised in 1791 by an amendment to the Constitution, the* 
different state governments nevertheless continued to load the burden 
of Sunday observance on those people who keep holy the seventh day, 
thus allowing them to work only five days in the week. But the Roman 
Catholic Church went to work to set the difficulty aside. She promul¬ 
gated the doctrine that “Christ has power over the commandments 
and gave unto her the same power also;” and thus she abolished the 
Sabbath-commandment by which men should remember the seventh 
day and honor the Almighty Creator. To further justify her lawless 
act she also put up the pretext that Sunday was the day of Christ’s 
resurrection. (However, if it was true that Christ rose on Sunday 



The Rise of the Popedom. 


35 


The greatest of alJ causes that gave the papacy its great popu¬ 
larity and power was her adoption of the Sunday law and the enact¬ 
ment of the doctrine of the Hoomoousion at the council of Nice. 
Through this the subordination of Christ to the Father was denied 
and the primacy and law-making authority of the Roman church 
was in time fully established. The cunning Constantine himself 
was greatly pleased with this doctrine. 

Constantine was not the originator of Sunday keeping. It 
w r as general among the pagans; and for that reason the Roman 
church in her pretended authority had already favored it about 
twenty years before Constantine's reign. In order to lower the 
Sabbath of the Bible and to profane it, she had already ordered 
that it should be observed as a day for fasting. Thereby she 
gained popularity with the heathen world, but she came in con¬ 
flict with the Church in the East. Against her she fought. Con¬ 
stantine, the pagan emperor came to her aid with his law, by which 
Christians and Jew 7 s were compelled at least to rest with the 
pagans on the day of the sun. It compelled to no religious 
observance. The papacy, however, attended to the latter. But 
from the fact of Constantine’s being a zealous worshipper of 
Apollo, the Sungod, and having the office of highpriest of the 
Roman (pagan) state-religion, we are constrained to believe that 
he aimed his Sunday law for a great stroke against pure Christ¬ 
ianity which he no longer dared to combat openly, and that he 
hoped that the pure Christian religion, with which he had come 
in closer contact since his move into the East, might in the end 
be corrupted. Many historians believed that Constantine 
attempted to create a new state religion, mixed with Christian and 

and not true that he rose in the end of the Sabbath, and therefore on 
the first day of the week ions (already) risen, it could yet not alter the 
commandment. See Ch. XV.) A few years before the council of 
Nice (namely, at the council of Carthage) the Roman church began 
also to set aside the baptism of the believing and repenting sinner by 
recommending the sprinkling of innocent children. Later on she also 
enforced this new ordinance through the power of the political gov¬ 
ernments. She went hand in hand with the kings of the earth during 
the Dark Ages, and had them to compel all men to accept her doc¬ 
trines or lose their civil rights, and that in those days “no man could 
buy or sell except he had the mark of the beast or the number of his 
name.” Rev. 13:17. 



36 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. //, § 3 . 

pagan doctrines, and that for several years he had secretly aimed 
to bring Christianity under pagan influences. 

The Edict of Toleration, A. D. 313, was a testimony , of Con¬ 
stantine’s shrewdness as a stateman. It was given for political 
reasons; for he was a pagan. He saw that Christianity had become 
the greatest religious power. Moreover, the patient and submis¬ 
sive obedience of the Christians which bows itself under the yoke 
of oppressors (Matt. 5:39) certainly appeared in Constantine’s 
eyes very desirable not only for the peace of the empire, but for 
him personally. Therefore he protected his Christian subjects 
and enacted laws for them: a law to permit bequests to churches; 
laws to prevent frauds in the allowances for the poor church 
members and in the tribute which the clergy paid to the state; 
and a law that the clergy be tried only by their peers. 

Having gained state-protection by the Edict of Toleration, 
worldly-minded bishops were now enabled to reach after worldly 
power. The articles which the papal party set up at the council 
of Nice furthered its designs and were at the same time also 
pleasing to Constantine. Among the changes that were made was 
also the one concerning the celebration of the Easter festival. In 
order to oppose the so-called “Judaizing” influence of the Church 
of Asia, and to strengthen the observance of Sunday, the “ortho¬ 
dox” bishops (being in that assembly for obvious reasons in the 
majority) moved the day of the celebration of Easter and made a 
law that it should no longer fall on its anniversary day, but should 
be kept only on Sundays. This again pleased Constantine; for he 
was an inveterate Jew hater and great patron for Sunday. The 
council anathematized as “Jewish and heretical” the observance of 
the Lord’s Supper and the Crucifixion on the anniversary of the 
old Passover, as observed in all the Eastern church-communities 
(not only in those of Hebrew Christians, but also those from the 
Gentiles). The church of Pome persisted that she received her 
custom by tradition from the Apostles Peter and Paul. And since 
in all Eastern countries, even in Constantinople and yet further 
West, the Sabbath was still observed at that time, the council of 
Nice legislated against the same and confirmed the Roman 
rule that it should be a day of fasting (contrary to the word of 
God. Isa. 58:13, etc). This was as far as the papacy at that 
time could go toward her aim of finally suppressing the Sabbath 
entirely. She had not yet the strength, but it was coming. The 


The Rise of the Popedom. 


37 


council of Nice, as already stated, cast aside the doctrine of sub¬ 
ordination, which is taught in the Scripture (also by Paul, 1 Cor. 
15:24-28, etc.)* and which was held by the primitive church, and 
she set up the doctrine of the Homoousion by which Christ was 
declared equal with the Father in every respect. This was the 
thing which strengthened the belief that Christ had power to give 
the church authority to go beyond the law of God. Thereby “the 
primacy of St. Peter,” the authority of the Roman bishop, was in 
time fully acknowledged and the Roman church enabled to make 
further “improvements” on the teaching of the Scripture and 
to have a show of authority for casting away the Sabbath, t and 
for her claim of infallibility, and for the orthodoxy of her doc¬ 
trines of endless torment, of a purgatory before the judgment, of 
the never-dying of the sinner, of the reading of masses for the 
repose of souls, of granting indulgences, and of all her money¬ 
making devices and abominations. And the understanding for 
the symbolic language of prophecy was forgotten; and the priests 
said that no one, but they only, could interpret and correctly under¬ 
stand the Scripture. 

Nevertheless, those who were regarded as heretics for their 
opposition against the regulations of the Nicene council lost at that 
time only their interests in church property. Only in rare cases 
were they exiled. Even during the fifth century no non-conform¬ 
ists to the papal church were in danger of their lives. • Dissenters 
were yet at liberty to separate as they pleased, and also to ex-com- 
municate from themselves members that accepted the new regula¬ 
tions. So-calld heretics frequently and publicly demanded re¬ 
baptism of them that had been members of so-called orthodox 
(that is, Roman Catholic) churches. Religious liberty was yet 
great. Whole congregations sometimes withdrew from certain 
bishops that had been set over them by emperors that tried to inter¬ 
fere in religious matters. 

The first Christian emperors wore not always impartial, but 


* See Remarks on the Doctrine of the Trinity, Ch. V. 
f Paul in Col., ch. 3, says that the law of ordinances and the 
sabbath days which are a shadow of things “to come” were nailed 
to the cross. But not The Sabbath which points back to the creation. 
The ceremonial Sabbaths of the feast of tabernacles, pentecost, etc., 
point forward to Christ and to His coming kingdom; these are now 
nailed to the cross. 



38 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. //, § 3 . 

they abstained from severe persecutions. Sooth-saying and sac¬ 
rificing excepted, they did not prohibit pagans from holding their 
worship. Nay, up to the reign of Gratian the emperors yet 
claimed the title of Pontifex Maximus of old Roman paganism. 
This was an outward show of their impartiality and justice to all 
citizens alike. Some heathen temples were destroyed by order 
of Constantine, not because he was a Christian, but because they 
were such in which criminal excesses and abuses had been carried 
on, the like of which were destroyed by other pagan princes before 
him. Under the forty years’ reign of Constantius (the successor 
of Canstantine, and really the first Christian emperor), a great 
many “heretical” bishops were banished. This hindered greatly 
the free exhibition of biblical truths. The succeeding short 
reign of Julian, the Apostate, was therefore rather a blessing 
than a misfortune; for he favored no certain party. No patronage 
of the civil power could have been so advantageous to true Christ¬ 
ianity as the total indifference of the state towards religious contro¬ 
versies during the reign of Julian, who was an idolator. Christian¬ 
ity was then left once more to its own resources. Julian was the last 
pagan emperor. The next, though a Christian, was not disposed 
to oppress the pagans, nor any party. Nevertheless, the most of 
the pagan temples were closed and public sacrifices generally 
ceased for reasons of the altered circumstances at the imperial 
court, and because of the unpopularity under which the remnant 
of the pagans now stood. Paganism had been in the throes of 
death since religious toleration was granted. Now it was dead, 
not because of persecution, but because of its own nothingness. 

History shows that the toleration granted to all religious 
beliefs was great throughout the fourth century, and that even in 
the fifth cenutry the papal persecutions had not yet much power, 
and that all this was a time over which those that were “caught 
up to God” could rejoice (see Rev. 12:10-12). The 218 years 
from 313 to 531 embrace, therefore, a time of transition during 
which the papacy continually struggled for recognition and power 
from the political governments to kill the saints, but could not as 
yet quite attain it. There were yet also a great many pious bishops 
in her ranks. In the latter part of this period, namely, from 476 
to 531, the papacy even retrograded. It suffered from a “deadly 
wound” which it had received through the establishment of the 
kingdoms of the Hernli, Goths and Vandals upon the central and 


The Rise of the Popedom. 


39 


oldest part of the Roman territory (namely: Italy, North Africa 
and Spain). The said nations who had among them Christians 
of “Arian,” that is, “antipapal faith,” checked the growth of the 
popedom, not because they persecuted the Roman Catholics, but 
rather because they granted religious liberty to Non-Roman Cath¬ 
olics. Yea, it seemed for some time as if the policy of the Goths 
to protect the formerly persecuted Arians would'cause the com¬ 
plete ruin of The papacy. But behold! “The deadly wound was 
healed”* (Rev. 13:3); “and all the world wondered.” 

Suddenly and unexpectedly the papacy received help. The 
Arian horns were broken. Justinian, the Byzantine emperor, rose 
up and made the cause of the popedom his own. He fought for 
it with his armies, and, being favored by most extraordinary cir¬ 
cumstances, especially a revolution in the Ostrogothic government, 
he succeeded, undoubtedly far beyond expectation. It was just as 
Jesus had said, namely, that the kingdom of God at present suffers 
violence and the violent take it by force. And so will it be until, 
the Father Himself interposes and shall send His king, Jesus 
Christ, whom the heavens must retain until the time of the set¬ 
ting up of God’s kingdom with power. Read Ps. 2; Acts, 3:21; 
Dan. 2:44; 7:27, etc. 

Before religious liberty could be overthrown it was necessary 
for the papacy to receive help and power from state governments. 
Aleardy in 445 Emperor Yalentinian III was induced to issue a 
law to establish the primacy of St. Peter; but it could not be 
enforced, and was dropped. The later, all-prevailing union of 
state and church, was not the outcome of Valentinian’s law, but 
began to take shape through Justinian in 531. Moreover, to fulfill 
the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation of John, it was neces¬ 
sary first for the ten horns to appear, and that three of them, 
namely, the Arian powers, should be plucked up. Thus were 
all those things fulfilled in due time. 

Now let us sum up: Persecutions of papal origin had already 
be>gun immediately after the proclamation of toleration; but they 
were light, for they did not involve loss of life. And when the 

* “In regard to the healing of the deadly wound I must say that 
there is also a secondary fulfillment, namely, the wounding of the 
papacy during the Reformation, and the healing of the wound by the 
compromises with the state power by the Reformers.—A. Raleigh.” 
Concerning this, see Ch. VII. 



40 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. II. 

Roman empire was fallen and the ten horns were arisen, no priest¬ 
craft could immediately gain absolute power, because the three 
horns of Daniel's prophecy, the three Arian kingdoms, stood in 
the way. By them (see Ch. Ill and Ch. XII) the papacy 
was greatly humbled. But when those horns were “plucked up' 
(Dan. 7:8) then was every hindrance for the recovery and ascend¬ 
ancy of the papacy removed. 


§4. The Reign of the TyranDProphets of Rev. Ch. 11, from 
A. D. 531 to 1791, or, Christendom under the Cruel 
Power of State and Church Unions during the Dark 
Ages. 

■'And I will give power unto My two witnesses and they shall 
prophecy a thousand and two hundred and three score days , 
clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two 
candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any 
man will hurt them, fire proceedcth out of their mouth, and devour- 
eth their enemies; and if any man will hurt them, he must in this 
manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it reign 
not in the days of their prophecy; and have power over waters to 
turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues as 
often as they will.” Rev. 11:3-7. 

When Justinian, the Byzantine emperor, had finished the Per¬ 
sian war, he was left free from all encumbrances, which until then 
had hindered him in the execution of his long-cherished plan to 

The topical outlines of this prophecy are these: (1) The religious 
and civil governments in Christendom are spiritual witnesses of God. 
See chapter I on Prophetic Symbols. (2) When paganism was fallen, 
the true spiritual sun and moon, namely, the religion of Christ and 
a “Christian” government in civil affairs (moon—a reflection of the 
sun) should have ruled and blessed mankind. (3) But instead of this 
an impure church rose up; and the impure church coveted partnership 
in the world-government; and finally the two compromised, and united, 
and ruled together, and persecuted the saints. Then the pure primi¬ 
tive church fled into the wilderness. Neither of the public witnesses, 
that were thenceforth left for mankind, were pure. They were defiled. 
They were not clothed in white, but in filthy sackcloth; and instead 
of blessing the earth, they acted as tyrants. They smote the earth 
with plagues; they turned waters to blood and devoured their ene¬ 
mies . (4) Their great power lasted 1,260 prophetic days (common 
years), namely, from 531 to 1791. 




The Tyrant-Prophets of Rev. 11:3-7. 


41 


give his undivided aid to the Roman Catholic, or so-called Ortho¬ 
dox Church, and to exterminate all other confessions of faith, 
especially the Arian. In order to materialize this great purpose, 
he set out in the second half of the year 531, to take the necessary 
steps, first, by the unfolding of his plans before his ministers and 
counsellors. 

Already two years thereafter, notwithstanding the great 
power of the Ostrogoths in Italy, with whom on account of his 
persecutions of the Arian Christians he had long before been in 
conflict, he proclaimed the pope Head over all churches and began 
openly the w'ar in Africa in behalf of the Roman Catholics. This 
war he successfully ended the next year (534) by having over¬ 
thrown the kingdom of the Vandals. From thence, being encour¬ 
aged by a change of dynasty in Italy, he turned his arms toward 
that country, and after a ten years’ war wrested it out of the hands 
of the Ostrogoths. All that did not submit to the pope’s doctrine 
were now rigorously persecuted. The Roman church, being pro¬ 
claimed by Justinian as the state church, was to be obeyed by all 
citizens. Not only was this so in the Byzantine empire, but in 
less than fifty years it became so in all places, even the remotest, 
throughout the Christian world. The Justinian code of laws be¬ 
came the pattern for all European states, and remained so during 
the Dark Ages, and in the main principle, though with less power, 
down to the present day. Neither were the American colonies an 
exception. For the amendment to the Constitution was not rati¬ 
fied until 1791. Though not directly acknowledging the author¬ 
ity of the papacy, the American colonies were under the sectarian 
tyranny which emanated therefrom. Thus in 531 the wound 
which the papacy, about forty-five years before, had received 
through the establishment of the Arian powers, began to heal 
(Rev. 13:3) and the Dark Ages commenced. They cover the 
1260 years between October 531 and Ocotber 1791, the # time 
of the absolute and cruel power of state and church, or, the reign 
of the Two Witnesses of Rev. 11. The French Revolution of 
1791-1795 set an end to that terrible dual oppression. 

The duration of the great tyranny of the two witnesses was 
foretold in three ways, namely, as 1260 days in Rev. 11:3, and 
12:6, as forty-two months in Rev. 13 :5, and 12:14, and as “a time, 
times and a half a time” (that is one year, or 1260 days) in 
Dan. 7:25. Now the proof that the 1260 prophetic days are com- 


42 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. II, § 4 . 

mon years is first found in this, that the term “days,” if figura¬ 
tively used in prophecy and limited by numbers, denotes in several 
passages of the Scripture as many years as the number indicates.* 
Thus in Numbers, 14:33, 34, the Lord pronounced upon the rebel¬ 
lious Israelites the penalty of wandering in the wilderness forty 
years, one year for each day, according to the number of days 
wherein their spies were viewing the land of Canaan, Deut. 8 . 
We also find that the Lord gave to Ezekiel in his vision concern¬ 
ing Jerusalem a day in place of a year. (2) We find by the tes¬ 
timony of history that the said 1260 days are the 1260 years of 
the unbroken and absolute reign of state and church unions every¬ 
where throughout Christendom, both in Roman Catholic and Pro¬ 
testant countries, which elided in 1791 with their overthrow in 
France. Mob rule and Atheism reached supreme power October 
1, 1791, and held it exactly three and one-half years (until April 1, 
1795). See Rev. 11, 7-12. Since that time the former power 
of state and church to interfere with the consciences of men is 
restricted. Nevermore since that Revolution could it reach the 
old strength to tyrannize the nations, but gradually was getting 
weaker from year to year, being consumed according to the word 
of God. In harmony, therefore, both with Scripture and Histor}q 
the 1,260 prophetic days of the terrible reign of the Two Witnesses 
cover the time between October 531 and October 1791. 

History tells us, that already the beginning of the 1,260 years 
was a time of great darkness, that the worship of images, which 
is idolatry, was already firmly established in many so-called ortho¬ 
dox churches, and that great ignorance prevailed. Oaths by the 
names of Mary and the saints had already been required by Em¬ 
peror Justinian as early as 527, and “the religious toleration which 
Theodoric, king of the Goths, had the glory of introducing into 
Italy had become painful and offensive to the orthodox zeal of the 
Italiansthe observance of Sunday (derived from paganism and 
having been enforced by state law as a rest-day only) was enjoined 
by the Roman Catholics to be kept religiously, and the Sabbath 

* In Daniel, chapter 8, the term “evening-morning” occurs. This 
shows that natural days are there spoken of. And since it is very 
probable that Dan. 12:11, 12, refers to periods inside the 2,300 evening- 
mornings, it would follow that the 1,260 and 1,335 “days” would also 
be “evening-mornings” and that, originally, they may have been so 
written by the prophet. On this subject see Ch. XVII. 



The Tyrant-Prophets of Rev, 11:3-7. 


43 


of the Lord, on the seventh day, was dropped; also infant baptism, 
which first began to be practiced among the “Orthodox” of North 
Africa, had by this time become general, and the “repentant 
believer’s baptism” was ignored, etc. And now the great persecu¬ 
tions arose; for men were not only exiled, but they lost their lives 
for refusing to obey man-made doctrines. 

Justinian’s mind was long before already set upon upholding 
the pope with all his power as soon as he could, and to persecute 
all that did not obey the Roman Catholic doctrines. Even before 
his ascension to the throne he had meditated upon the extirpation 
of “the Arian heresy,” already in the year 527 he issued a decree by 
which he allowed all heretics in his realm only three months time 
to choose between exile and submission to the Roman church (but 
he could not carry, out this cruelty). At last, with 
the conclusion of the Persian war, the hoped-for opportunity for 
his great enterrpise had come. Heretics should be suffered no 
longer, but should lose their lives for their opposition against the 
papacy. Never before had any civil power in Christendom gone 
so far. Even in Africa* exile and confiscation were not rigidly 
enforced; for the decrees were issued mainly to terrify. While 
fanaticism became indeed vehement in individuals and sometimes 
culminated in bloodshed, yet the lawful civil powers had not gone 
to that extreme. In the Roman Catholic persecutions against 
the Donatists blood was frequently shed; but it seems to have 
always been the outcome of individual actions of men that had 
not the authoritative permission from government to do so, but 
were overcome by sudden passion. The only fully authenticated 
instance of the shedding of the blood of “heretics” by a “Christ¬ 
ian prince,” previous to Justinian’s reign, falls to the charge of a 
certain Maximus; but neither was he a lawful ruler. He had 
usurped his authority and had seven persons killed for herecy. 
But he was soon overcome by Emperor Theodosius and killed. 
It must be well borne in mind that the killing of the said seven 
persons was not sanctioned, neither by their ecclesiastic opponents, 
nor by the imperial authorities ; but was regarded by all as unjus- 

* Whether the Roman Catholic legend which says that some Cath¬ 
olics had their tongues cut out and nevertheless spake and praised 
God aloud, is true, is unknown. We cannot get reliable, impartial 
testimony; for the Roman Catholics destroyed all the writings of the 
Arians. 



44 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. //, § 4. 


tifiable murder. Maximus and his helpers were therefore forth¬ 
with ex-communicated by Martin of Tours and Ambrose of Milan, 
both Roman Catholic bishops and themselves opposed to the faith 
of the killed. This, therefore, is further proof that the great 
persecutions unto the death had not yet commenced at that time. 

But under the oppressive laws of Justinian the non-adherents 
to the so-called Orthodox (or Trinitarian) faith which was estab¬ 
lished at the council of Nice, were regarded as enemies of the 
state; and the Roman church sanctioned the secular arm for their 
extirpation. This was the spirit and the principle that prevailed 
during the Dark Ages. All the so-called Christian governments 
and churches, were they Roman Catholic, or Greek Catholic, or 
Episcopalian, or Lutheran, or belonging to any sect that sprang 
from the Roman mother, all acted after the same Justinian princi¬ 
ple; all entered into state and church unions, and adhered thereto 
with rigor until the end of the eighteenth century. This state of 
things was in exact accordance with the predictions of the holy 
Scripture: 

The religious and civil authorities are the two light-bearers 
for mankind. “These are the two olive trees and tbe two candle¬ 
sticks standing before the God of the earth.” They represent here 
the Sun and Moon of figurative prophetic language, as is found also 
in other passages of holy writ. Now the said light-bearers were 
not pagan; but, professing the religion of Jesus Christ—they had 
become public witnesses or prophets of the true God. iVlas, they 
were not faultless and perfect witnesses; they were unclean and 
clothed in sackcloth. They were not as the government of Christ 
shall be when he returns with power and glory, when God shall 
set up His kingdom and make the wicked Christ’s footstool. No. 
Although they preached faith in God and His Christ they them¬ 
selves persecuted the true church which keeps the commandments 
of God and the faith of Jesus, and she fled into the wilderness, 
as it is written. The false church and the corrupt civil power 
which ruled in the world during the Dark Ages, stood up, and 
taught that the kingdom of God was already here, and that state 
and church represented it, and that whosoever should not hold to 
the state church should be persecuted. . They were indeed wit¬ 
nesses of God, since there were none left before the worlds but they 
who were corrupt, in an unclean state, “clothed in sackcloth.” 
And they were cruel, and “smote the earth with all plagues as 


The Tyrant-Prophets of Rev. 11:3-7. 


45 


often as they would.’’ Sackcloth is the garment of defilement 
according to the Scripture. In sackcloth and ashes men used to 
sit when they had sinned, or become defiled. The state and church 
which ruled were defiled. They did not form the true Theocracy 
or government of God that will be here in the. Millenium. There¬ 
fore, while the papal church, that impure woman, and her daugh¬ 
ters the Greek and Western sectarian churches, were attended by 
the civil powers and tormented the people, even going as far as 
burning men at the stake—the true church of God, the pure and 
fair woman, was no longer seen by the world. She abode in the 
wilderness, in the place assigned her of God (Rev. 12:14), during 
all the time wherein the world was polluted by the impure church 
and her daughters. For a long time the East also was controlled 
directly by the papacy, but later by some of her daughters; vile 
also; for they never abandoned their mother’s teaching. Are not 
papal doctrines, the Homoousion, Sabbath desecration, infant bap¬ 
tism, invocation of saints, etc., the dominant features of the 
Green and Armenian churches? Through her man-made doc¬ 
trines (especially that of the Hdmoousion) the Roman church* 
was the first cause of Mohammed’s success, and the triumph of his 
doctrine in Syria, Lesser Asia and North Africa. 

Clothed in filthy sack cloth, the garment of unrighteousness, 
the two witnesses, namely the ecclesiastic and civil authorities of 
nominal Christendom, tormented the people. They destroyed the 
earth, v. 6 and 18. They rained fife down upon the earth; for they 
tortured and killed; and they overcame the saints. Rev. 13:7-13. 

During this long and bloody reign these cruel witnesses killed 
millions of people; and flourishing districts were often devastated. 
The teachers of the pure gospel of Christ were overcome, and there 
were no other witnesses and lightbearers left to the world except 
the two corrupt, so-called Christian powers. Obstructed by their 
impure teaching and their assumed authority, the light of some por¬ 
tions of divine truth glimmered but faintly before the eyes of the 
benighted nations. Deep was men’s ignorance of the Scripture in 
those ages; few men could read, and even, as to them that could, 
as long as the art of printing was unknown, the cost of a manu¬ 
script of the Bible often equalled the cost of a goodly landed estate. 
The nations groaned under the yoke of an immoral and tyrannical 

* Rev. 17:5, “Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abom¬ 
inations on the earth.” 



46 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. //, § 4. 


priesthood and a cruel aristocracy. It was the same condition as 
that which was in the days of apostate Israel, when the shepherds 
did not care for the sheep and the kings had become idolators. 
For the events under the old covenant are types of what occurred 
under the new. 

The Lord called the wicked rulers of Israel,under the old dis¬ 
pensation His witnesses. He said of them (Isa. ch. 43 and ch. 44), 
“You have wearied Me with your iniquities, and yet ye are My 
witnesses.” Why were they God’s witnesses notwithstanding all 
their backslidings ? It was because at that time there were no 
other witnesses of God among men. In like manner there were 
no public witnesses of God during the Dark Ages, except those 
two powers; for the saints had been overcome (Rev. 13:7) and the 
pure church of Christ was fled into the wilderness. (Rev. ch. 12.) 
Notwithstanding all the rubbish of human doctrines and the cor¬ 
ruption that was in the impure church and in the state powers, 
men could yet gain a certain knowledge of the only true God and 
His commandments and the faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, the 
state and the impure church were the witnesses of God during the 
Dark Ages. 

The great power of the two witnesses was not broken by the 
Reformation of the sixteenth century. The Revelation and History 
prove that the new sects became a second beast and acted like the 
first beast which is the papacyFor the new sects, pretending to 
flee the papacy, took it nevertheless for their pattern and followed 
its fundamental doctrines and its ways. It was the second beast, 
namely the new sects themselves, which healed the wound which 
the papacy had received at the beginning of the Reformation. The 
Reformers halted in their onward course and became unfaithful to 
their primary propositions and intentions to teach only the word 
of God. They made an image to the first beast, Rev. 13:14-15, by 
setting up its doctrines and by following the same persecuting 
spirit by which popery first had troubled the poor Ebionites. With 
the same spirit the Reformers also went in partnership with the 
worldly powers to enforce their doctrines and to suppress liberty 
of conscience. Therefore the world became astonished and of¬ 
fended; and whole countries at first favorably inclined toward the 
Reformation turned back again under the wings of Rome. (See 
Ch. YI: On the Two Beasts of Rev. ch. 13.) No nation gained 
religious liberty during the Reformation of the sixteenth century; 


The Tyrant-Prophets of Rev, 11:3-7. 


47 


for the tyranny of Rome was only exchanged in certain countries 
for the tyranny of new impure churches. It was as dangerous 
in those days to utter one's religious opinion, and declare the truth 
in Protestant countries, as it was in those that stood under the 
Roman papacy. The Greek church, the state church of Russia, 
commenced also, just at the time when in Western Europe Protest¬ 
antism appeared, to enter upon a course of great tyranny. Under 
the then reigning I wan the Terrible the peasants became serfs 
and by law bound to the soil which they cultivated for their ecclesi¬ 
astic and feudal lords. 


ARITHMETIC concerning the beginning, duration and ending of 
the reign of the Two Witnesses: 

1. The digits in the number of the year of the commencement 
of the reign of the two witnesses—531—added up (5+3+1) equal 9. 
The digits in the number of the years of the reign of the two wit¬ 
nesses—1,260—added up (1+2+6) equal also 9. The digits in the 
number of the year when the great power of the two witnesses ended 
—1791—added up (1+7+9+1) equal 18, which is twice 9, or as much 
as the additions of the digits in the first two numbers put together. 
The digits in the number 18 added up equal 9 also.—9—. 

2. By dividing 531 and 1,260 by 9 we have 59 and 140. Adding the 
digits in these two quotients together (5+9+1+4) we have 19. Now 
1791 (the year-number of the end of the reign) divided by 9 is 199, 
and the addition of the digits in this number gives also 19, namely 
as much as the additions of the digits in the two first numbers put 
together .,—19—. 

3. The numbers 59 and 140 (which represent one-ninth of 531 
and one-ninth of 1,260) added together equal 199. But one-ninth of 
1791 alone is 199. Therefore one-ninth of the number 1791 is as much 
as one-ninth of 531 and one-ninth of 1,260 put together.—199—. 

The above three exponent numbers, 9, 19 and 199, contain the first 
and last digits. They are not divisible, nor can the time of the Dark 
Ages, spiritually considered, be apportioned by any other interval of 
time than the one designated in this paragraph. 

—In this connection we may notice also that the number of the 
year which ended the first five seals, and therefore ended the gather¬ 
ing of the 144,000 elect from the tribes of Israel (which year is also 
the year of the proclamation of the Edict of Toleration),—313—is indi¬ 
visible, and each one of its digits is indivisible, and the product of 
their addition is indivisible, for it is 7. And 7 is in the Scripture the 
symbol of perfection. See Ch. VIII and Ch. XI. 



48 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. II. 

35. The Ascending of the Beast of the Bottomless Pit in 
the French Revolution and the Death=State of the Two 
Witnesses. 

“And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast 
that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against 
them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead 
bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is 
called Sodom and Egypt , where also our Lord was crucified/* 
Eev. 11:7, 8. 

In 1791 the great power of the Two Witnesses was broken; 
and thus ended the 1260 years of the exceeding great tyranny of 
State and Church. On the first day of October 1791 was the 
opening session of the new national assembly in France, when the 
revolutionary elements which for some time had been astir, began 
to rule in opposition to the existing laws. 

“Then,” says history, “the king’s court was dead.” Every 
restraint, which so far had yet hindered the wild outburst of a 
heaven-storming revolution, was now removed. The old order of 
things was swept away. The eivil and religious powers of the 
Dark Ages were dead in.the capital of France. The vetoes of the 
king were no longer respected, and when he yet tried to oppose the 
enactments of the national convention against the nobility that had 
fled for fear of their lives, he was himself suspected that he 
sought help from foreign powers, and that he wanted to reinstate 
the old order of things; and he ^vas forced to give also his own 
consent for the war against Prussia and Austria. Nor was the pope 
obeyed any longer, and his loyal priests in France were either 
killed or banished. The beast of atheism had seized France and 
had gained full power over it, and killed the Two Witnesses in 
the streets of Paris. The civil as well as the ecclesiastic govern¬ 
ments were overthrown. The king had to die on the scaffold, and 
all prerogatives of nobility and priesthood were abolished. Even 
the belief in God was ridiculed and all Christian institutions were 
overturned. Often in former times kings and governments were 
overthrown; but never yet was such a revolution on the earth; 
never before was the existence of the Divine Power denied by a 
whole nation. 

How was it possible for such a state to come about? It was 
prepared by the long reign of the Two Witnesses, the political and 


The First Reign of the Beast of the Bottomless Pit. 49 


hierarchial tyrants. The day of retribution for untold iniquities 
had .come. The false Christianity had become an offense to men. 
Nevertheless, only that which is false might have been cast aside; 
and such a revolution that overturned the faith in God might not 
have taken place. But it came about through the writings of 
peculiar atheistic men who spread among the people their bottom¬ 
less theories and imaginations. Urged on by such as Voltaire and 
Payne and other infidels, men became blind toward eternal truths. 
Infuriated against their tormentors, and seeing all the rottenness 
of the state churches, especially the papacy, and not looking about, 
nor knowing God’s word, they went.further than heathen; for they 
did not only discard the revelations of the holy Scriptures, but cast 
overboard any faith in any Supreme Being. John beheld a bot¬ 
tomless pit in which their was no foundation to stand on. Says 
Carlisle in his history of the French Revolution, “Horrible the 
hour when man’s soul, in its paroxism, spurns asunder the bar¬ 
riers and rules; and shows what dens and depths are in it!. For 
Night and Orcus, as we say, as was long prophesied* have burst 
forth, here in Paris, from their subterranean imprisonment; hid¬ 
eous, dim-confused; which it is painful to look on; and which 
cannot be forgotten.” Out of a bottomless pit John, the Rev- 
elator (more than 1800 years before) saw the brutal forces arise 
that overcame the two cruel witnesses. He saw the drastic force, 
that it had the appearance of a beast, and that it killed the Two 
Witnesses, and that they lay dead, exactly three and one-half 
prophetic days, in a city which was spiritually like Sodom and 
Jerusalem had been and also like ancient Egypt. 

Paris filled precisely the said description. It was a city spir¬ 
itually like Sodom and Egypt and like the city where our Lord 
was crucified. Now Sodom (see Gen. 14:17-24; etc.) had re¬ 
ceived the knowledge of God through Lot and through Abraham, 
and through the great priest Melchizedek; but it was not con¬ 
verted. And, like as during the sojourn of the children of Israel 

* As indeed “was long prophesied” by the Revelation of God. 
But it is probable that Carlisle meant the words “long prophesied 
only as a satire on Cagliostro, the quack, or some one else whose 
“prophecy” of the Reign of Terror, he says, was given “after the thing 
was past.” We shall have occasion to notice, further on, that other his¬ 
torians have uttered sayings in harmony with the revelations of God, 
unwittingly themselves that they did so. 



50 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. //, § 5. 

Egypt saw the power of God, but nevertheless was not converted, 
so was Paris in those days the seat of the greatest learning, and 
yet at the same time the main seat and support of a false religion, 
and also of atheism. The French kings had always, more than any 
other, supported the papacy. (We may add that Paris was in many 
respects also like Constantinople had been in the time of her em¬ 
perors—during the Middle Ages.) In those places, in the re¬ 
spective times, men received more knowledge of divine truth than 
anywhere else on earth. Those places took also the lead in de¬ 
pravity and ungodliness above all other places on earth in their 
time—and so did Paris. For some time before the Revolution the 
infidels of Paris spent every year about 900,000 £ sterling for the 
distribution of their literature. What a terrible harvest did this 
produce and how quickly! If we also take the testimony of Christ 
concerning the Scribes and Pharisees of Jerusalem into consid¬ 
eration and compare it with the history of the likewise greatly fa¬ 
vored city of Constantinople before the invasion of the Turks, we 
will find, that among people who covet the pleasures of this world, 
high civilization is generally coupled with the subtlest wickedness. 
Paris was perfectly like the above-mentioned cities during the time 
of the fulfilment of this prophecy. She was then the first and most 
renowned of all the cities in Europe, none excluded. Like Jerusa¬ 
lem had been, so was she different-from any other city; for she was 
the center of the strength of a whole nation, so that no other city 
at that time wielded such an influence. An English historian of 
that time therefore says: “In France, Paris is everything.” She 
set also the pattern for fashions and the most delicate living and 
manners, and was the seat of the greatest learning. The Sorbonne 
of Paris was the highest religious faculty in Europe and was con¬ 
sulted by the popes even. And now, because Paris was also the 
seat of the greatest wickedness and infidelity, and had in this 
become a pattern which the whole world had begun to follow after, 
therefore one can readily see that she, and no other, was the city 
mentioned in the text before us, namely: that she was another 
Jerusalem where our Lord was crucified. And in no other city, but 
her, have the things come to pass that were revealed in verses 7, 8, 
11 and 12 of the 11th chapter of Revelation. In addition to all this 
testimony may it be remembered also, that our Lord was crucified 


The State of Society After the Reign of Terror. 51 


in the city of Paris in Bartholomew’s night 1572,* when over 
twenty-five thousand of the most Christian people in France, having 
been first decoyed into the city, were defenselessly murdered for 
the sake of their faith and for their protest against the popedom. 
By murdering those followers of Christ the papal party, repre¬ 
sented by Catherine of Medicis, her son the king and their con¬ 
spirators, slew Christ; for he says, “Inasmuch as ye have, done 
it to the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me,” 
Matt. 25 :40. Paris fills therefore in every respect the description 
of the city in which the beast of the bottomless pit arose, and where 
the two witnesses lay dead three days and a half, prophetic time. 


* From that year of darkness to the overthrow of the Two Wit¬ 
nesses there are 218 years. From 313, the year of the granting Qf 
toleration to the religion of Jesus Christ, until 531, the beginning of 
the cruel reign of the Two Witnesses, there are also 218 years. 


§6. The Resurrection of the Two Witnesses and the De= 
cadence of Their Power: 

And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God 
entered into them , and they stood upon their feet; and great fear 
fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great void; 
from heaven .saying unto them: “Come up hither” And they 

ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them” 
Eev. 11:11-12. 

The word of God’s spirit is truth and must be fulfilled. The 
Two Witnesses, the old powers of State and Church, therefore re¬ 
vived again according to this prophecy, and the reign of the beast 
of the bottomless pit, after it had lasted three and one-half “com¬ 
mon years,” was for that time at an end. The Spirit of God re¬ 
vived the Two Witnesses; He worked upon the nation and moved 
the hearts of the people, turning them against atheism and the 
power of the beast of the bottomless pit. The great voice that 
then was heard and that called unto the two witnesses to come up 
again, was the voice of the new parties which about Hew Year 1795 
had arisen in the French national assembly through the turn of 
public opinion. A desire manifested itself for the old order of 
things, and called for their re-establishment. This voice was from 
above, from the ruling or heavenly sphere, namely from the new 




52 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. //, § 6. 


law-giving elements that lifted themselves up over the nation.* 
It called upon the old powers to come up; to come again to the 
rulership and authority in heavenly places. “And they ascended 
up to heaven”; for they ruled again, yea, they reign yet at this 
day. But they have no more the former strength. All 
over the civilized world dual governments—religious and 
civil powers of this world associated—have waned in authority since 
the French revolution; and are losing ground, more and more, from 
year to year. Men’s knowledge of the dangers resulting from 
unions of worldly governments and impure churches, and the 
ever-present spirit and undermining influence of the beast of the 
bottomless pit which is Atheism, are the cause. Let no one on this 
account b6 deceived to believe in a gradual evolution of God’s 
kingdom out of the present state of society; but notice, that since 
the decadence of the former aristocracy an aristocracy of the 
moneybag and other evils have appeared on the earth. 

The kingdom of God cannot appear publicly and with power 
until the second advent of Christ. Until then it still suffers vio¬ 
lence, but not as before, because the present powers (especially 
the papal) are continually on the decline, “to be consumed to the 
end” says the prophecy of Daniel. Since the French Revolution 
the governments have no more attained their former great power 
to “destroy the earth.” (Rev. 11:18.) They can no longer tread 
upon the people like they did during the Dark Ages. As to the 
popedom, it has suffered untold vexation and dishonor from the 
so-called liberalism, that pervades the present era, this liberalism 
which is mixed with carnality and again tends to bondage, the 
bondage of sin and the flesh. It is not “the liberty of God’s child¬ 
ren”; it is alien to the kingdom of God. While the nations are 
not oppressed by feudal and ecclesiastical lords, as they used to 
be, they suffer at present from evils that formerly were almost 
unknown. 

The prophetic text says that the Two Witnesses “ascended to 
heaven in a cloud.” This cloud was the black and stormy cloud of 
those party wars, and the seditions of the Parisian mob, that tried 
to prevent the revival of the old order of things. History tells us 
of the fear and anguish that began to seize all enemies of the old 

* The Hebrew word Shomayim, which is translated heaven, liter¬ 
ally means Uplifted things. (The N. T., however, was written in the 
Greek.) 



J 


The State of Society After the Reign of Terror. 53 

powers since the fall of the Jacobin party, and how, finally, all 
their efforts proved vain, and ended with the overthrow of the last 
and terrible sedition of March 31and April 1, 1795. Thus we see 
that the absolute power of the beast which produced a Reign of 
Terror, lasted only from October 1, 1791 to April 1, 1795, that is 
three years and a half, in harmony with the word of God. As in 
France, so were at the same time all revolutionary (communistic) 
societies suppressed in the adjoining countries. But let no one 
surmise that the beast of the bottomless pit is now dead, and that 
it shall rule never more. On the contrary Rev. 17:17 shows that it 
is still alive and that it shall once more receive power for a short 
time, and not only in one nation, but in all (the ten horns). (There 
have been some historians who also predicted another reign of infi¬ 
delity, but contrary to the Scripture they placed it too far in the 
future). 

The next verse (13) says: “And the same hour there was an 
earthquake and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earth - 
quake were slain of names of men seven thousand; and the remnant 
were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven ” The word 
here translated Hour is the Greek “Hora,” simply a period of time, 
here the time of that terrible revolution in France. France, an¬ 
ciently called Gallia, represents one of the ten horns by which the 
old Roman empire became divided. It was one of the powers that 
had entered into union with that impure church which is spiritually 
called “The Woman who committeth fornication with the kings 
of the earth.” France had indeed been the chiefest support of the 
papacy which is spiritually a city of abominations.* To the 
French kings the popes had given the title of “Most Christian 
Majesty.” In that revolution or earthquake” (shaking of people— 
see Ch. I on Prophetic Symbols) this bulwark of the popedom 
fell t and at the same time, as the public records show, there were 
extinguished in France seven thousand “persons of nobility,” spir¬ 
itually sepaking: “names of men.” 

“And the remnant,” says the prophecy, “ were affrighted and 


* The opposite from her is the holy city of Rev. 11:2, the 
innumerable company of the elect of God of all nations. 

f Eleven years later (by law of April 8, 1802) the Gallican church 
was again subjected under the pope. Nevertheless the former great 
power of the papacy over France is gone. 



54 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. //, § 6. 

gave glory to the God of heavenS’ History tells us that immediately 
after the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars there ap¬ 
peared a general revival of piety toward God, both among the 
lower classes and in government circles. The great events that had 
shaken the nations of Europe and affected the whole world, ended 
with the fall and miserable exile of Napoleon, the haughty tyrant 
whom God had used as agent of His judgments. By these things 
men were brought to reflection. They realized the existence of an 
almighty and righteous God, who overthrows the proud and wicked. 
The crowned heads began to treat their subjects with more com 
sideration, and gave them many good laws and valuable privileges. 
From thence date the constitutional governments in general. Even 
Russia was for a while carried away by the current and went so 
far as to establish a society for the distribution of Bibles. Yet, 
men did not truly repent of their evil deeds. This verse says, They 
were affrighted. The change was due more to fright than true re¬ 
pentance toward God, and therefore it lasted but a few years. Ac¬ 
cording to the word of prophecy “men did not turn from their 
deeds.” Rev. 16:9, 11. The good resolutions were soon forgotten. 
Also, the said Bible society in Russia was dissolved, and the rising 
generations did not longer notice the former lessons. Unbelief and 
disregard for God’s commandments are at present as general as 
before, and, on an average, even more. The Scripture also foretold 
that in the latter days “men shall run to and fro, yet knowledge 
shall be increased.” Therefore while men indeed run to and fro, 
more than ever before, after the things of this world and its arts 
and ways, we see nevertheless that what the Scripture calls knowl¬ 
edge, the most important knowledge, the knowledge of God’s word, 
is also increased. To the view of those that delight themselves 
therein, truths have been opened which the old priests and prophets 
never knew. The present Bible and missionary societies and public 
schools have cleared the way for a rapid dissemination of the 
Scriptures. No one among civilized nations has longer an excuse 
for being ignorant concerning Divine truths. Nevertheless the 
majority is ignorant and loves only the transient things of the 
present world. Especially is this the case among the rich and 
those in power. The European governments soon forgot their good 
resolves after the Napoleonic wars and attempted to turn back 
again into their old ruts. Because of this many revolutions broke 
out during the century just past. But those outbreaks, if appar- 


Decadence of Church and State Unions Since 1791. 55 

ently ever so just against misruling powers, proceed only from the 
unconverted. The Christian believes in the principles laid down 
by Christ and the apostle Paul, to be subject in civil and worldly 
matters to the powers that be; and with patience he waits for the 
time of the glorious setting up of Christ’s kingdom by power from 
on high, not to be brought about through tedious evolutions, but by 
the sudden interference of the Father Himself (Ps. 2, etc.) in His 
ow r n good time. 

The prophecy of the 11th chapter of Kevelation up to verse 
15, reached already to the end of the second woe, in 1840, when the 
supremacy of the Turkish empire came to an end, as foretold in 
Rev. ch. 9, and wiien also the tribulations resulting from the Na¬ 
poleonic wars (the outgrowth of the great revolution in France) 
were in the past. 

The evidence brought to light in the foregoing pages proves 
that the Two Witnesses of Rev. ch. 11, are State and Church, that 
the 1260 years of their intimate union and absolute reign com¬ 
menced in 531, and not in 538 as was generally taught. The 
prophecy says that the witnesses or prophets shall prophecy 1260 
“days” (“years” in common language), and that when they shall 
have finished their prophecy, then shall they be killed in that city 
which spiritually is like Sodom, and shall lie dead three days and 
a half (prophetic time—common years) w T hich we have found to 
have been fulfilled between October 1st 1791 and April 1st 1795. 
We see, therefore, that the 1260 days ended in 1791. 

Since the fulfilment of this prophecy a new era has begun, 
namely that of the third, or last, woe. The second woe consisted in 
the absolute and unchecked reign of the two cruel witnesses, mainly 
in the European countries, and 2) in the great power of Moham¬ 
medanism mainly in the East. Those tribulations, except the 
weak after-influences, are now in the past. The Mohammedan 
powder and the union between governments and churches have 
constantly weakened since 1791, and from year to year are getting 
weaker still. As already stated, the causes for this are 1) the con¬ 
stantly increasing conviction of the justice of religious toleration 
and the acknowledgment of the rights of the subject multitudes, 
and 2) the spirit of the beast of the bottomless pit which is 
atheism, which manifests itself in quick retaliation for every 
wrongful suffering. Thus the pernicious unions of churches with 


56 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . //, § 6. 


political governments (which is spiritual fornication) will be grad¬ 
ually destroyed. See Dan. ch. 2 and ch. 7, and Rev. ch. 17. 

A sign of the near advent of the Son of Man is this peculiar 
distress and anxiety in the ruling spheres, both ecclesiastic and 
civil, which was unknown before the French revolution. The king¬ 
doms of this world (which Daniel saw in the image of a man, Dan. 
ch. 2) have begun to fall. Infidelity and anarchistic ideas make 
war upon the corrupt churches and the civil powers. We hear the 
roaring of the waves of the sea, the tumult of angry multitudes, 
especially in the old world, against aristocracy and false churches. 
The civil governments had to give those elements more concessions 
from year to year. Liberties are now granted to seditious assem¬ 
blies and scandalizers of governments for which a hundred years 
ago death would have been the inevitable punishment. Atheism 
is the essence of the beast of the bottomless pit, and he makes war 
against the whore, or false church, and strips her of her power. 
See Rev. 17:16-17. Much of this has already been done during the 
last sixty years, especially in Italy and France. The present civil 
governments were forced to a make friends” with the beast and 
allow it this privilege. Thus are the false churches sinking be¬ 
tween the scoffing and ridicule of the ungodly, and on the other 
side the truth of God’s word. False doctrines are bound to be 
exposed. No fear of a new-arising religious tyranny need be en¬ 
tertained any more. The Dark Ages are past. If this were not so, 
even this book could nowhere be published. 

But the present times are equally distressing, or more so, than 
the past. For instead of the religious superstitions of the Dark 
Ages we now often see outbursts of impudent scorn and mockery 
against the greatest truths, and sometimes blank indifference. 
Atheism is like a burning drouth, indeed as damaging, if not more, 
than the overflowing rivers of fanaticism and superstition have 
been. Youths disobey their parents more and more, and are but 
seldom restrained . Advice and exhortations from others are now 
considered indelicate and meddlesome; yea, often parents resent 
it themselves: and almost no one feels the burden of being his 
brother’s keeper; for genuine piety is rare. Jesus said: “When 
the Son of Man cometh, will He find faith on the earth ?” 

It is written, “The ten horns (the political powers) shall hate 
the whore and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her 
flesh and burn her with fire.” Don’t we see how the state with- 


Decadence of Church and State Unions Since 1791 . 57 


draws its protection and obedience from the impure churches ? The 
republican governments have begun to eat the flesh of the whore; 
they have curtailed her former incomes and taken away the author¬ 
ity which she used to have. Not to speak of burning men at the 
stake, as both Catholics and Protestants used to do, churches have 
not even power to deprive their opponents now of any civil rights. 
How deeply are the state-churches humbled! Notice their former 
prerogatives! Compulsory church attendance and compulsory bap¬ 
tism are done away; civil marriage has been instituted; men are no 
langer forced everywhere by the secular arm to have their children 
brought up in the doctrines and statutes of certain churches, but 
are allowed, nearly everywhere, to bring them up without fear in 
whatever religious creed they choose, or in none; convents have 
been abolished in many countries, and their wealth confiscated (that 
is “eaten” or, appropriated) by the governments; or else, as for ex¬ 
ample in some parts of Switzerland, they were used for the en¬ 
dowment of public schools. And where is the great respect for 
the pope whose feet used to be kissed by the greatest monarchs of 
the world? He is even taxed by the Italian government, like a 
common citizen. The present spasmodic increase of the papal 
power in the United States neither is, nor will be of importance. 
It cannot continue, and does not disprove any of the aforesaid facts, 
neither will it hinder the fulfilment of the prophecies which yet 
concern the future. The purpose for which God at present uses 
the political governments is stated in Rev. 17:7, namely, “God hath 
put it in their hearts to fulfil His will, and give their power to the 
beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” Therefore, the 
political governments cannot cease to give the beast of infidelity 
license to make war with the whore. The infidel and present-world 
party has already in many countries the principal share of power 
in its hands, especially in France, Germany and Italy. 

The powers of the present heavens are now more unstable 
and shaking than ever befoer. More and more their control over 
the so-called socialistic and infidel elements is vanishing. At last 
all shall fall. Christ, who, according to the flesh, is of the seed of 
David, is the promised heir of the kingdoms of the earth. He is 
the stone which is not cut out hy hands, and which Daniel foresaw 
falling upon the image of the kingdoms of this world and break it 
to pieces. God has made the earth that it should be inhabited in 
peace by His people. See Ps. 37, etc. In the soon-coming kingdom 


58 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths . 


of Christ the wicked shall rule no more. The saints of God shall 
possess the kingdom, and the meek and humble shall inherit its 
blessings on the earth;“and they shall dwell every one under his own 
vine and fig tree, and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth 
of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.” (Micah. 4:1-4.) The heavy 
clouds in the political heavens, the anguish and insecurity of the 
rulers, the movements of the political powers, and especially the 
present activity of the "beast of the bottomless pit, are signs that 
the second advent of Jesus Christ is close at hand. Matt. 24:30. 
“And the kingdom and the dominion under the whole heaven shall 
be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose king¬ 
dom is an everlasting kingdom; and all dominions shall worship 
and serve Him.” Dan. 7:27. And the threshing floor shall be 
purged and the chaff burnt. 


Chapter III. 


Additional Facts Considered Concerning the Proper Place- 
ment of the Beginning and Ending of the Great Power 
of the Two Witnesses, and other matters in relation 

thereto; for the purpose of demonstrating the perfect 
accuracy of the prophecy in every detail. 

The beginning of the 1260 years cannot be placed in 538, as 
commonly taught,* because a union of state and church for the 
extirpation of “heresy” by means of destroying human lives, which 
is the Scriptural sign of the Dark Ages, was already consummated 
several years before, and was conspicuously demonstrated by the 
armies of Justinian. Neither did the Dark Ages commence before 
531; for although the way for the rising of popery to great power 
had been in preparation ever since the new regulations were enacted 
by the council of Nice, we still do not hear of any fully authenti¬ 
cated death-dealing measures undertaken by lawful authorities 
before 531. The deeds of fanaticism in Africa before the Vandal 

* The writer never saw any attempt made to define the Dark 
Ages, scripturally (not vulgarly) considered as such, without placing 
their commencement in 538 and their end in 1798, which does not 
agree with the facts. 





Supplements to Ch. //, § 3 and § 4. 


59 


invasion cannot come under this head, because the secular powers 
did not meddle therewith further than duty demanded to uphold 
order. Neither can the alleged “most severe” persecutions against 
Roman Catholics by the Vandals be taken as an exception; for 
they are not adequately proven. The Roman Catholics destroyed 
the Arian writings. All the information therefore comes from 
the enemies of the Arians, namely, the Roman Catholics whose 
veracity in these things cannot be proven. Some of them admit 
themselves that religious persecutions, even in their height, 
amounted only to exile, and that treason against the Vandal state 
lay often (how often?) at the bottom of it, or, at least that the 
Roman Catholics acted often suspiciously against the Vandal gov¬ 
ernment,* and that Hunneric, the most persecuting of all Vandal 
kings, took pains to convoke councils to settle religious disputes. 
At one of these councils the Roman Catholics, or Orthodox, brought 
forth for the first time the disputed text concerning the three wit¬ 
nesses t These facts make the Roman Catholic testimony con¬ 
cerning these persecutions look suspicious. 

Further, the overthrow of the three Arian horns (to which 
Dan. 7:8-20, and Rev. 13:3 refer J) did not take place before the 
papacy had become a horn (that is before it received power). For 
the word Before does in this prophecy not concern time, but loca¬ 
tion. In harmony with history the prophecy says in the original, 
that the three horns were plucked up before the eyes (in sight) of 
the first beast which is the papacy. Now again notice the historical 
testimony: Already in the time of the kingdom of the Heruli (and 
long before) was the popedom in existence. However, it did then 
not yet possess the power which it afterwards gained through Jus¬ 
tinian. Moreover, in the room of the kingdom of the Heruli there 
arose another Arian kingdom, which likewise ruled over Italy, 
namely that of the Ostrogoths. Therefore, in respect of damaging 
the popedom the kingdom of the Heruli and that of the Ostrogoths 
were the same. They are in DanieFs prophecy counted as one 
power, namely the power of the Arians in Italy, or, the Arian 

* See for example, Neander, Vol. IV, page 92 (Bohn’s edition). 

f This text is not found in the manuscript before that time. 
Being therefore looked upon as fraudulent it was thrown out of the 
English version in 1881. 

t Ch. XII. 



60 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . III. 

“horn” of Italy, one of the three horns that were plucked up in 
the sight of the first beast. 

The creed of the Arians, and their granting of religious liberty 
to all men, was the obstacle that stood in the way of the papacy 
and stopped its progress. This was the sword which wounded the 
papal power in its seventh head, namely in the ancient or central 
part of Roman territory*; that original territory which was Roman 
before Rome acquired possession of any part of the former domin¬ 
ions in the East.* In prophecy a religious as well as a civil power 
is called A horn. The three horns must be considered as religious 
powers, namely as Arian—in opposition to the papacy. The papacy 
was called a Horn in Han. ch. 7. It was indeed only a little horn 
in the days of the Arian kingdoms, hut became exceedingly great 
after those kingdoms were overthrown. We repeat, that the fall 
of the Heruli did not only improve the precarious condition of 
the popedom, but bruised and enlarged its wound yet more. For 
the successors of the Heruli, the Ostrogoths, were yet far more 
powerful than the Heruli had been, so that the aggressive power 
of the popedom was at that time completely destroyed in the first, 
the most ancient part of Roman territory. For, at the same time 
that the Ostrogoths ruled in Italy and Illyria, the Vandals ruled 
in Africa, and the Visigoths in Spain and Narbonnese Gaul. All 
these nations professed the Arian faith, and therefore were heretics 
in the eyes of the papal church. The three Arian horns inflicted 
on one of the seven heads of the first beast that deadly wound 
spoken of in Rev. ch. 13.f Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, saw 
himself forced to banish pope John, and to forbid him to return, 
unless he and the Byzantine emperor gave up their intrigues and 
intolerance against Non-Roman Catholics. Through this act the 
prestige of the papacy was also injured in the East. For this 
reason did Emperor Justinian brood over the plan of helping the 
papacy up again. But he could not, even after Theodoric’s death, 
venture upon active measures until he had finished the Persian 
war, 531. 

Now we can s£e the harmony between the prophecy of Daniel 
concerning the three horns that were to be plucked up in the sight 
of the papacy and John’s vision concerning the burdens of the four 

* See in Ch. VI the exegesis of Rev. ch. 13, verses 1, 2 and 3. 

t The ancient Roman empire is according to Revelation, “The 
seventh head of the beast.” See Ch. VII. 



Supplements to Ch. //, § 3 and § 4. 


61 


angels in Rev. ch. 8. The three horns of Dan. ch. 7 and the four 
burdens of Rev. ch. 8 concerned the same territory, namely the 
first or oldest part of the Roman empire: Italy, Spain and North 
Africa. The four Arian kingdoms: that of the Heruli, and 
second, that of the Ostrogoths, both in Italy; that of the Vandals 
in North Africa; and that of the Visigoths in Spain; covered the 
three divisions of the central and oldest part of the former Roman 
empire. And these three divisions, counted as one part, formed 
“one third” of the whole empire when it had its full growth. This 
is that Third referred to in Rev. 8:7-12. Notice once more that 
the kingdoms of the Heruli and Ostrogoths were the same, both 
Arian, both in Italy, and therefore constituted together the one 
Arian power, or Horn (as Daniel called it) which of all was the 
most fatal to the popedom; (2) that the overthrow of the Heruli 
did not relieve, but increased still more, the weakness of the pope¬ 
dom, and (3) that it was no Roman Catholic power that conquered 
and succeeded the Heruli, but a nation of like aspirations, both in 
religious and political respects, and which fostered religious liberty, 
namely the Oostrogoths. The four burdens of the four angels 
spoken of in Rev. ch. 8 concerned therefore the three horns of 
Dan. ch. 7, namely the Arian powers: (1) two burdens on Italy, 
against the Heruli and Ostrogoths under the first and third angels. 
Rev. 8:7 and 10: (2) one on North Africa under the second angel, 
and (3) one on Spain under the fourth angel.* 

History shows that it was originally nothing else but the influ¬ 
ence of the papacy upon the mind of Justinian that caused the 
three horns ta be plucked up, and that when towards the end of the 
year 531 Justinian laid before his ministers his plans for an expe¬ 
dition into Africa, he had as yet no thought of absorbing neither 
Africa nor Itaty, and that he began the war against the Vandals 
and the shedding of blood, for the only purpose of harassing the 
Arians and of strengthening the people of his own faith, namely the 
Roman Catholics. The result was, however, beyond expectation, 
so that, being encouraged, he now dared to attack the Ostrogoths. 
The Vandal government was overthrown in 534. But the Ostro- 
gothic kingdom was not destroyed until twenty-two years later. It 
was not destroyed in 538. For, after BelisaFs victories in 538 the 

* This is shown at length in Ch. XII; but it will be well to read 
first Ch. XI. 



62 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. III. 


Goths raised the valiant Totila on the shield, and he reconquered 
all Italy in a short time. The Ostrogoths were vanquished in the 
battle of Tagina in 552 and in several battles within three years 
thereafter (555) which is seventeen years after 538, and twenty-two 
years after the commencement of the secret union of the Byzantine 
government with the Bom an Catholic church, and twenty years 
after the public proclamation of said union (533). And the Visi¬ 
goths (in Spain) did not entirely come under the power of the pope 
until in 586. Thus the three Arian horns were in Daniel’s prophecy 
not considered as political, but as religious powers over three terri¬ 
tories. And they were plucked up before the eyes of the beast, in 
the sight and presence of the beast, according to the Scripture, and 
Not before the beast had appeared. The latter is impossible both 
according to the words of prophecy and according to History. 

Another reason, the most apparent to all, why the 1260 years 
could not (as commonly taught) last until 1798, has been already 
mentioned, namely that according to the prophecy the death state 
of the Two Witnesses was to happen at the end, and not before the 
end of 1260 years. Bev. 11:7 reads: “And when they shall have 
finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottom¬ 
less pit, shall make war against them and shall overcome and kill 
them.” And verse 3 reads: “And they shall prophesy one thousand 
and two hundred and three score days.” This shows that the 1260 
years were to be ended before the death state of the Two Witnesses 
in France was to commence, namely before 1792, and that therefore 
they could not reach beyond that time. 

Further, the death state of the Two Witnesses could not term¬ 
inate in 1798, because it was tc last only three and one-half years. 
Bev. 11:9-ll says, that after three days and a half they should live 
again; and the historical facts show also the same. The death state 
of the Two Witnesses in France lasted exactly from September, 
1791 to April, 1795 (during the reign of the beast of the bottom¬ 
less pit). The sovereignty of Louis XVI. virtually ended With the 
opening of the sessions of the French national assembly, October 
1st, 1791, and at that time the power of the state church of France 
was also ended. But on April 1st 1795 the Beign of Terror was 
past, the supreme power of the infidel-revolutionary elements had 
been overthrown. 

We forgot to mention that the ninth verse of this prophecy 
(Bev. ch. 11) says, that they of the peoples and nations shall see 


Supplements to Ch. //, § 3 and § 4. 


63 


the dead bodies of the Two Witnesses for three days and a half and 
shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. We see the 
fulfilment of this prediction in this, that the governments of Europe 
did not passively behold the overthrow of the two witnesses in 
France, but rose up in arms and invaded France for the purpose 
of putting down the revolution and establishing the old order of 
things. But they were repulsed. No human power could extin¬ 
guish the enthusiasm of the French and alter the state of affairs; 
for God said that the two witnesses should lie dead three days and 
a half, prophetic days, common years. The language of verse 9 
carries in itself also the testimony that while the two old, so-called 
Christian powers, were dead in France, and infidelity had tri¬ 
umphed, the princes of the rest of Europe were filled with fear for 
their own safety. But the beast of the bottomless pit was to reign 
only three years and a half; and so it was fulfilled. 

Further, the capture of pope Pius YI. by Berthier took place 
when the time assigned for the death state of the two witnesses was 
already in the past, and has no bearing on this prophecy. For it 
was for political not for religious (or rather, as we ought to say, 
atheistic) reasons that the pope was imprisoned in 1798. The ec¬ 
clesiastic authority of the popedom, though Pius was a prisoner, 
did at that time not suffer anyways near what it did in the great 
revolution. As a worldly prince with his extremely small terri¬ 
tory the pope’s power was insignificant. It is the great spiritual 
power over the consciences of men that alone comes into considera¬ 
tion. In the Reign of Terror all Roman Catholic priests in France 
that would remain obedient to the pope were killed or banished.* 
But after the revolution the pope’s spiritual pretensions were no 
longer attacked and none of his priests were any longer in danger. 
Besides, Pius VI. was not the only pope that was ever imprisoned. 
Therefore also there is no individual pope meant in this prophecy. 
The papal system and its great power is what the Scripture refers 
to. This was overturned in France full six years previous to the 
time when, for political reasons, Pius YI. was exiled. 

Further, some think the New and Old Testaments are the two 
prophets or witnesses of the eleventh chapter of Revelation. This, 
aside from the historical facts already cited, is also impossible for 
the following Scriptural reasons, namely: A prophet is an agent, 
bearer, or deliverer, of God’s word to men. Paul says, “How can 
people hear without a preacher ?” Remember that during the Mid- 


64 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. III. 


die Ages there was probably not one person among several thousand 
that was able to read. Neither was, before the art of printing was 
found, one in many thousands able to buy a copy of the Bible. 
Therefore during the greatest part of the 1260 years the written 
word was almost of no use to the multitudes. A preacher of the 
word of God is a prophet of God. To be a prophet, originally did 
not mean that one needed to be a foreteller of future events. A 
teacher of God’s word is a prophet and witness of God according to 
Scripture, though already in the apostles’ time the word began to 
be used sometimes for those only that foretold future events. There 
used to be schools of the prophets. Jacob’s twelve sons were called 
Prophets in the Psalms. For even when they were wicked they 
were the living witnesses of the truth of God and of the covenant 
between God and their fathers. Excepting Joseph probably not 
one of them foretold future events * Thus while the pure church 
of God was hidden in the wilderness (Rev. 12:14) the public wit¬ 
nesses, or prophets of God, were on one side the clergy, and on the 
other the so-called Christian rulers. The greatest part of the first 
class was made up by the anointed Roman Catholic priesthood; and 
the most prominent of the second class were the Byzantine and 
German emperors who also were anointed by the clergy. The 
anointing, in this prophee)', has however not this meaning. It has 
a spiritual meaning. It was God that permitted the evil powers to 
rule. See Isa. 45:5-7, etc. Paul also says, that the powers that are, 
are of God. Therefore it is written, “And I will give power unto 
# My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy one thousand two hun¬ 
dred and three score days.” The Bible was before the Two Wit¬ 
nesses and its influence continues yet, hut the absolute power of 
state and church to torment and rain fire on the earth and kill the 
saints lasted only from A. D. 531 to 1791, 1260 prophetic days, 
as it is written. 

The ancient kings and priests of Israel received their authority 

* Let the reader consult dictionaries on Scriptural terms, and 
he will find that both in the Old and New Testament a Prophet is a 
bearer and teacher of Divine knowledge. Therefore the statement of 
Peter, that “No prophecy of the Scripture is of its own interpreta¬ 
tion” does not only refer to predictions, but likewise to any passages 
that are doctrinal and not merely genealogical or historical. No in¬ 
spired scriptural text can therefore be fully expounded without com¬ 
paring it with other texts. 



Supplements to Ch. //, § 3 and § 4. 


65 


and power to act with their anointing. The anointing can there¬ 
fore apply only to men. In regard to anything else, it has no mean¬ 
ing. But like as the old Israelitish priests and kings were anointed 
and God called them His witnesses notwithstanding all their wick¬ 
edness (Isa. 43:22, 44:8), so were also the religious teachers and 
civil rulers in Christendom His witnesses. They also called them¬ 
selves Rulers by the Grace of God and Representatives of the Son 
of God. And they were wicked and cruel. The prophecy said, They 
smote the earth with all plagues, just as they pleased. Fire pro- 
ceeeded out of their mouth (v. 5), they shut heaven (v. 6) and pre¬ 
vented that men should have its blessings. What a faithful pre¬ 
diction this was of the terrible despotism of kings and priests dur¬ 
ing the Dark Ages! Jezebel, however, did put all the blame on 
Ahab. She took his seal and stamped it on her decrees. 1 Ki. 21:8. 
Spiritual Babylon, the mother of harlots, says, she had no part in 
the massacre on Bartholomew’s night, nor in the horrors of the 
Spanish Inquisition, and so forth, and that the civil power alone 
is the guilty party. Such assertions are found, for example, in 
Cardinal Gibbon’s book, “The Faith of Our Fathers.” 

The fruits of the union of these wicked state and church pow¬ 
ers were great spiritual darkness, superstition and ferocious perse¬ 
cutions, and finally the terrors of the French revolution, a reign of 
infidelity. During the Dark Ages the rulers did not even take 
proper steps against the spreading of loathsome diseases. Volumes 
are filled with records of religious wars and fanatic crusades against 
heretics and for the possession of Jerusalem. And notwithstanding 
that the secular governments were weak, as compared with the 
strength of the former empires, they could by no means be suc¬ 
cessfully overcome; not even at such times when state and church 
(as it often happened) were quarreling with each other. And no 
nation was able to shake off the bondage during the Reformation 
in the Sixteenth century. As soon as Rome lost her power in a 
certain country it invariably happened that there arose a new state 
church to enslave men again, and' to persecute all that would serve 
God according to their knowledge; bringing on them not only exile 
and loss of civil rights, but torture and death. I refer herewith 
to the terrible persecutions carried on by the Protestants, especially 
in Ireland and Switzerland. There was no religious liberty any¬ 
where before the French Revolution. Even in America there was 
no hope for religious liberty until the constitution was amended 


66 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. III. 


in 1791. the year in which the great power of the Two Witnesses 
ended, as foretold by Divine Revelation. 

Switzerland is often cited as having been a free republic long 
before the end of the 1260 years; but it was an oligarchy which 
ruled also over several conquered districts. And in-religious respect 
the whole country, without any exception, lay as fast in the chains 
of popery, and later also under Calvinism, as any country during the 
Dark Ages* Neither the Roman republic that was founded by 
Arnold of Brescia could stand; and that reformer died a violent 
death. 

As to the United States, let it be remembered also that the 
union of the whole territory of the thirteen states was not entirely 
completed until the prophetic year 1791. Rhode Island was not 
admitted into the union under the new constitution until in 1790, 
and Vermont, which during the war with England had been a part 
of New York, did not enter the union until March 1791. Article 
I of the Amendments "which should guarantee religious liberty had 
been proposed by congress in 1789, but was not ratified until De¬ 
cember 15th, 1791, and therefore did not become a law until the 
Two Witnesses in France had been overthrown already for tw r o 
months and a half. But even then religious liberty was not as¬ 
sured nor practiced, because the law r s of the several states did not 
agree with that amendment. We see therefore that the declaration 
of the independence of the United States has no hearing whatever 
on the time of the death state of the two witnesses of Rev. ch. 11. t 
We must bear in mind, above all, that the prophecy spoke of a com¬ 
plete overthrow, even the death, of both witnesses together at the 
same time. We have clearly proven that this happened in France, 

* There are instances that certain districts, having been ex com¬ 
municated, returned under the tyranny of the papal hierarchy of their 
own accord. Darkness indeed covered the earth, and gross darkness 
the people. 

f Of all histories of the Christian Age the Revelation of John 
is the best. In a few words it tells us what many a learned man 
painfully gathers out of hundreds of pages of human works. And as 
wonderful as the fulfillment of the events that were foretold is the 
fact that they occurred exactly at the predicted time. Also in Ex., 
chapter 16 . the falling of the manna and the appearing of the quails 
in the wilderness was not so astonishing as the occurrence of the ful¬ 
fillment precisely at the appointed time, etc. The writer therefore 
thinks he is justified in making all the above statements and many 
repetitions to show the exactitude of divine prophecy. 



Supplements to Ch. //, § 3 and § 4 . 


67 


and that there the two witnesses were dead exactly three years and 
a half, and then came to life again, as it had ben foretold. It 
cannot be said that anything of the kind has happened in the 
United States of America, nor anywhere else* The English revo¬ 
lution in Cromwell's time was also quite different from the French. 
No nation, except the French during the Eeign of Terror, did ever 
cast aside the belief in Cod. And further, although according to 
the Constitution the union of church and state seems no longer to 
exist in the United States of America, yet it is not entirely dis¬ 
solved even at this day. Notice the special privileges that are yet 
accorded to the churches in the United States, and the servility and 
special favors which occasionally have been bestowed on Roman 
Catholic prelates by the head-government. Notice the sectarian 
customs and forms which are observed and especially the laws 
which uphold that papal institution, the Sabbath-like observance 
of Sunday, and the late persecutions in several states (though 
light they were) against them that keep the Sabbath of the Lord 
and work on the first day of the week.* But in France the old 

* The writer is no Mormon, and does not uphold polygamy (for 
it is un-Christian). But seek in the Scripture which is the greater 
sin, to have more than one wife or to break the Sabbath of the Lord? 
Open, unconcealed polygamy is of the nature of an agreement between 
all parties concerned, and according to the Scripture not to be com¬ 
pared with fornication (not to speak of adultery, which is yet worse). 
To go in with the worldly governments, Rev. 17:1, 2, to allow their 
religious (?) commandments to overrule the law of the Lord, is that 
adultery which “women” (Rev. ch. 14) that is, false churches, have com¬ 
mitted against God. Efforts are yet continually made to have the 
union of the state and church strengthened by a stricter enforcement 
of Sunday laws. But prophecy shows that such efforts can no longer 
be successful. Many years ago S. D. Adventists warned the writer, 
saying, that there would elapse but a very few years until men would 
pot only not be allowed to work on Sundays, but would not even 
be permitted to keep the Sabbath; and that the second beast of Rev. 
ch. 13, was going to rise in the United States. The writer 
always tried to show by the prophecies that such views were 
unscriptural, and that the second beast was not only not to gain great 
power in the United States, but that it had already been in the world 
long ago (see Ch. VII, the exegesis of Rev. ch. 13); that it 
had lost its great persecuting power already by the time of the 
French Revolution when the first beast also lost its great power; 
and that according to divine prophecy we must look for a continued 
decrease instead of an increase, of religious persecution. Concern¬ 
ing these things the Scriptures have clearly shown what we must 
expect. Therefore we know of what we speak. 



68 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. ///. 


state and church powers were not only separated during those three 
and one-half years, but they were completely overthrown: “they 
lay dead.” (Kev. 11:8-9.) Kev. 11:6 foretold that the two cruel 
witnesses had “power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days 
of their prophecy; and power over waters to turn them to blood, 
and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they desired.” 
In Ch. II we saw in what way the governments had power during the 
Dark Ages to prevent rain. They withheld the blessings that they 
should have bestowed on their subjects. The clergy mixed the word 
of God with human doctrine and made the preaching of the pure 
word impossible. So, for example, did Luther after his return 
from the Wartburg. And the political rulers also forced upon the 
people great evils. They extorted unjust tributes and made war 
and shed blood for sheer covetousness, as they pleased. But the 
power to shut heaven was exercised especially by the clergy in the 
most cruel manner through anathemas and excofnmunications. A 
person cut off from the church was in those days regarded as being 
in imminent danger of eternal perdition, and shunned by every¬ 
body. Bishops and popes sometimes even excommunicated kings 
and emperors when they opposed their will. And the latter put 
their enemies under ban so that robbing from them and killing 
them was not punished. And when the pope’s interdict was hurled 
against a country, then no church bells were allowed to be tolled; 
no priest was allowed to exercise any religious functions, or to 
give absolution for sins, neither to the living, nor to the dying; 
and no infants were sprinkled for the people of that land. There¬ 
fore the poor, benighted people, who believed in the said cere¬ 
monies, suffered great mental anguish through the refusal of them. 
Being without ability to read and discern between truth and false¬ 
hood, they considered themselves lost and committed to Satan and 
hellfire, if they died under the said conditions. What they under¬ 
stood by hellfire we all know. As to their belief heaven was literally 
shut for those wretched people, and consequently they suffered 
untold mental horrors. And heaven was opened in the zenith of 
papal power to the mind of the ignorant, inasmuch as pardon for 
sins was offered for money, or, in payment of services in the 
extermination of heresy, or, in the rescue of Palestine out of the 
hand of the Mohammedans. And these works which they did in 
expectation of atoning for sin were achieved in an inhuman* and 
wicked manner. In the south of France alone, millions of human 


Supplements to Ch. //, § 3 and § 4. 69 

beings were killed in the papal persecutions against Waldenses and 
Albigenses. 

Thank God, since the French revolution the great persecuting 
power of Babylon is gone. The death state of the Two Witnesses 
in France (1791-1795) marks the turning point between the dark¬ 
ness of mediaeval times and the new era of religious toleration. 
Also the power of the Ottoman-Trukish empire began to decline 
in the same time. Its retrogression began in 1791 and its dismem¬ 
berment became visible in 1792 with the loss of the Crimea and 
the Kuban. Since then its fall was rapid. In 1840, which ended 
the second woe, it ceased to be one of the great powers. Mass 
reading was yet prohibited in Geneva under penalty of death up to 
1793, when rfc was abolished. In Ireland all persecutions against 
the Roman Catholics had ceased in 1791, and an act was passed 
in 1795 to establish a Roman Catholic college at Maynooth for 
which an endowment of £8,000 for yearly expenses was granted. 
By 1795 the great religious persecutions were in the past every¬ 
where. 

The following beautiful hymn is in line with Rev. ch. 18, which 
predicts the complete fall of Babylon and the return of Christ. 

1 Hail the days so long expected, 

Hail! the year of full release; 

Zion’s walls are now erected, 

And her watchmen publish peace. 

Through our Shiloh’s wide dominion 
Hear the trumpet loudly roar— 

Babylon is fallen, to rise no more. 

2 All her merchants stand with wonder. 

What is this that comes to pass? 

Murm’ring like the distant thunder, 

Crying, “O, alas! alas! 

Swell the sound, ye kings and nobles, 

Priest and people, rich and poor— 

Babylon is fallen, to rise no more. 

3 Blow the trumpet in Mount Zion! 

Christ shall come the second time. 

Ruling with a rod of iron 

All who now as foes combine. 

Babel’s garments we’ve rejected, 

And our fellowship is o’er. 

Babylon is fallen, to rise no more. 

NOTE.—The eleventh chapter ends the first part of the Book of 
Revelation. Its closing verses, 15 to 19, mention briefly the coming of 
the seventh angel of the seventh seal, the judgment on the present 
world, the reign of Christ, the resurrection, the rewarding of the 
saints. The beginning of the twelfth chapter brings us back again 


70 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


Chapter IV. 


The Interpretation of Rev. ch. 12, or The Conflict of the 
Church of Christ with the Powers of Darkness up to 
A. D. 531, and her Flight into the Wilderness. 

The first verse of Rev. ch. 12 reads- And there appeared a 
great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun and the 
moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. . 

The Woman is the Church of God, also called the Gospel 
Church, or, Church of Christ. She was seen of the Gentiles 
already at the time when the first seal was opened, Rev. 6:2, when 
John was an exile in the Isle of Patmos. The gospel of Christ 
was heard already at that time throughout the Roman empire, and 
the true sun had begun to shine over all the nations that dwelt 
under that great dominion. 

We have found in Ch. 1, that in the figurative language the 
Sun denotes religious power, and the Moon civil power, and that the 
seat of rulers and governments is spiritually called Heaven, and 
that these symbols were used in respect to old Rome and all the 
great ancient governments of the world. The pagan religion had 
been the sun of the old Roman empire, and the political power 
had been its moon. But now the time drew near that that sun 
should be darkened; und soon thereafter the moon also gave no 
longer her light.* * 

Now, as to the Woman, or Church of God, she is the mother 
of them that are begotten of God through the preaching of His 
Word. God always had a church upon the earth, and a people 
that walked in His commandments. And God is the Husband of 
the church; compare Isa. ch. 54, Acts 7:38.| 


to the time when John was in Patmos, and to a second series 
of visions which likewise covers the time from the exile of John 
to the second coming of Christ, and, further, to the consummation of 
the restitution of all things whereof the prophets have spoken. 

* Isa. 30:26, etc., shows that Christ’s millenial kingdom will also 
be a dual kingdom and rule both the spiritual and earthly spheres. 

t The primitive Christians understood this. They called the 
Church of God The Mother that brings forth children unto the Lord. 
This we see in the letter sent by the communities in Gaul to their 
brethren in Asia, A. D. 177. They wrote concerning them that first 




Exegesis of Rev. Ch . 12. 


71 


This verse prognosticates the most important events that are 
foretold in this chapter, namely the victory of the Christian church 
throughout the Roman empire and the accomplishment of the first 
election, the sealing of the 144,000 out of the twelve tribes of 
Israel, Rev. ch. 7. For the same as Daniel already in his time 
had seen the full image of all the kingdoms of the world, so, at the 
opening of this vision, John had already a full view of the glory 
of the Christian church as she appeared A. D. 313, when she had 
gained the victory over the pagan world and had finished the bring¬ 
ing forth of the first fruits unto God, her husband and her maker 
(Isa. 54:5) namely the elect of the tribes of Israel. These elect 
are, spiritually speaking, the Crown of the Woman. 

John saw the Woman in her glory and in the beauty of her 
purity, clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and 
upon her head a crown of twelve stars. The Christian church had 
become the greatest spiritual power over the civilized world. We 
are going to bring forth the evidence that the crown of glory on the 
Woman’s head symbolized the first born of her children, the first 
fruits unto God, the first election, the twelve times twelve thou¬ 
sand of Rev. ch. 7 that were begotten of God from all the twelve 
tribes of Israel as they were scattered among the nations during 
the time intervening from the baptism of Jesus until the proclama¬ 
tion of the Edict of Toleration in the year 313; (2) that these 
shall reign as kings and priests in Christ’s millenial kingdom; and 
(3) that to call out these elect the gospel was preached to the 
house of Israel by the twelve apostles, while Paul was the special 
apostle to the Gentiles. Besides, the twelve stars represent also, in 
particular, the twelve apostles of the Lamb. This chapter will 
show us that the said elect are spiritually called the Manchild and 
the Bridegroom, and that they constitute the members of that spir¬ 
itual Male body of Christ (from the Circumcision) whereof Jesus 
himself is the head. In the intepretation of other portions of the 
Revelation we shall prove yet more fully, that these elect shall come 

had fallen away in the great persecution, that again “much joy was 
created in the virgin mother, the church. For those whom she had 
brought forth as dead she recovered again as living. For by means 
of those (that became martyrs) the greater part of those that fell away 
again retraced their steps, were again conceived, were again endued 
with vital heat, and confessed their faith before the tribunal .” See 
Euseb. Eccl. Hist., Book V, ch. 1. And a similar testimony we see also 
in Euseb. b. v, ch. 2. 



72 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. IV. 


and rule with Jesus as kings and priests when he shall return to 
receive the kingdom of his father David and all the rest of the earth 
as his inheritance, and shall finally bring back unto God all things 
whereof the prophets have spoken. (See the testimonies: Matth. 
19:28; Rev. 5:9-10; Rev. eh. 7; Ps. 2; Rev. 14:1-5; Rev. 20:6.) 
Of these 144,000 elect (12 X 12,000), the twelve apostles to the 
house of Israel are chief. The Woman, the Church of God, is the 
mother that, besides these first fruits from the twelve tribes, has 
brought forth and is still bringing forth unto the Lord other 
children until near Christ’s second coming; members of “an in¬ 
numerable company” (see Re\. 7:9) which are gathered through 
the labors of teachers that are in her preaching the Word of God 
to the world. This other innumerable host is the second election, 
the bride company, which is gathered not only from the remnant of 
the house of Israel, but from all nations and kindred and tongues 
and people. The members of both companies, the spiritual male 
body, or manchild, and second, the innumerable bride company 
from all nations: constitute the family of the Living God, the 
Lord’s Own peculiar people. The manchild or bridegroom (the 
first fruits of the woman unto the Lord, and spiritually “her 
crown”) is from the circumcision according to the covenant, which 
God gave to Abraham, “that in his seed all the families -of the 
earth should be blessed.” A house is kept up as long as there is a 
son, a male heir; so is this particular seed from the circumcision; 
but not alone of that circumcision which is after the flesh, but of 
the heart also. These are the pillars of the temple of God, spoken 
of in the Revelation. And it was foretold by Ezekiel, the prophet, 
that “None uncircumcised in the flesh, nor uncircumcised in heart, 
shall enter into the sanctuary (of God).”* These sons of God kept 
all the commandments of God, and'“in their mouth was found no 
guile”; for they are perfect before God. Acts 10:14; Acts 21:24- 
25; Rev. 14:5 ; I John 2:6 ; etc. These are the members of the 
bridegroom of whom Jesus is the head. 

John saw the Gospel-Church clothed with the sun, that is 
with spiritual power, while the pagan sun, the religion of Greece 
and Rome, that had ruled till then, was rapidly disappearing.! 
But some teachers say, that the sun, in which the woman was 
clothed, denotes the new covenant, or the new dispensation, and 

* See chapter VI, on Rev. 11:1, 2. 

f See Interpretation of the Sixth Seal, in Ch. X. 



Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 12. 


73 


that by the moon was meant the Mosaic dispensation. This is 
wrong. We have found that throughout the holy scripture the 
same metaphors are used, and that it is one and the same holy 
Spirit that spake by prophecy. Therefore we would at once find 
ourselves in confusion, if we should deviate in the least from that 
interpretation which we have found correct when applied to the 
language of the old prophets before Christ. See Isa. ch. 13; ch. 
40:19-20; Ez. 32:7, etc. If, for example, the interpretation of the 
old Scriptures had not shown us that Jesus in Matth. 24:29 spake 
of the fall of the Roman empire, but if we thought that the sun sig¬ 
nified the gospel, and the moon the old covenant, then we should 
be compelled to say that the gospel (the sun) was darkened, and 
moreover, that the old covenant (the moon) did not loose its light 
until the gospel had first been darkened; that the new covenant 
passed away before the old; for Jesus spoke first of the darkening of 
the sun, and then that of the moon. What a confusion and false¬ 
hood this would be! And besides, who can bear the idea that the 
gospel became dark ? and that the pure woman which is the Church 
of God (called also Church of Christ) was defiled? and that she 
is now represented by the Roman church and others that hold to 
human traditions and have made void certain plain commandments 
of God? Our aversion against such a belief is just and is justified 
by the Revelation. The gospel cannot be darkened. The light of 
man-made religion is darkness, Matt. 6:23 ; but the entrance of the 
word of God brings true light. Let us stand in this light, and not 
in the confusion of human theories. The Woman, that is the 
Church of Christ, “fled into the wilderness”; but defiled and going 
about in filthy sackcloth like the two cruel witnesses, she was never. 
Though many of her children were slain by the seven-headed beast 
(which is the papacy, see Rev. 13:7, etc.) she is yet the same, and 
her doctrine is yet the same. The false churches are vile women, 
Rev. 14:4; by them many have been defiled; and there is the syna¬ 
gogue of Satan, Rev. 3 :9. Satan gave unto the whore, or beast,* 
his seat and his power and great authority, namely, power over the 
governments of this world, which he, for himself, had 
lost in his war with the true Church of Christ. (Rev. 13 :2.) The 
Church of God he could not corrupt; neither could he prevail 

* Plutarch tells us that in the Greek a vile woman was called A 
Sow (a beast). So the mother of harlots, having lost womanly shame 
and modesty, is in Rev. ch. 13, represented as a wild beast (therion). 



74 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. IV. 


against her to extirpate her; only he caused her to flee into the 
wilderness, where she was preserved during the Dark Ages. 

Some of the same theologians who had taught that the Sun 
and Moon in the 12th chapter of Revelation denote the Old and 
New Covenants must have perceived that it would never do to 
apply this same interpretation also to the prophecy of Christ in 
Matth. 24. So they turned away and said, that the terms Sun and 
Moon and Stars and Heaven in Matth. 24:29 must be taken liter¬ 
ally, namely that Jesus spake of the sun and moon and stars that 
shine in the physical heavens.* 

Now let us return. History shows, that already before the 
Edict of Toleration had been proclaimed, the true religion of 
Jesus Christ had became a great power in the Roman empire, a 
power which the pagan rulers at last could no longer ignore, but 
were forced to recognize. The Woman therefore had all this great 
dominion (civil government, or moon) under her feet; for it had 

* The above is a sample of so-called theology! Dear reader, there 
is no confusion in Divine prophecy. Suffer me to repeat again that 
the symbolic language is always the same; and if you notice the his¬ 
torical testimony you will be convinced. On the basis of Old Testa¬ 
mentary interpretation Matt. 24:29 is in perfect harmony with the 
facts, that Rome’s pagan religion (its sun) became extinct before the 
fall of its civil government (its moon), and that no other universal 
empire has appeared since. We find the same facts also under the 
sixth seal. See Ch. X. Although the religion of the r pagans was 
false, yet it was their sun, their light, the chief support of their civil 
government. The moon receives its light from the sun and therefore 
symbolizes civil government. As those false lights have passed away 
so shall in time all man-made institutions pass away. Every plant 
that our heavenly Father has not planted shall be pulled up. So when 
Christ’s kingdom shall appear with power, then shall no more exist a 
man-made sun (or false religious power) and a man-made moon (or 
imperfect civil government). The true sun and the true moon shall 
shine in the millenial age. The two together, the perfect Theocracy, 
or government of God which rests upon God’s fundamental law and 
upon true and just statutes and judgments shall then prevail, as it is 
written, namely: “Then the light of the moon shall be as the light of 
the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven-fold, as the light of 
seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the broken limbs of 
His people, and healeth the bruise of their wound,” Isa. 30:26. Then 
there shall be but one kingdom over all the earth and it shall be the 
possession of the people of the Most High. And Christ shall be the 
Supreme King whom God Himself shall have set upon His holy mount 
See Daniel, chapter 7; Ezekiel’s prophecy; Ps. 2, etc. 



Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 12. 


75 


become subservient to her. Furthermore, she was clothed with the 
sun, namely spiritual power; for the law of God is spiritual and 
holy. Rom. 7:12-14. This sun, in which she stood, was not like 
the old pagan sun, but the true. These were the conditions in the 
last universal dominion of this world, the Roman empire, when 
the proclamation of the imperial Edict of Toleration sealed the 
fall of paganism; Christ and his saints had won the victory, and 
the worship of demons and pagan gods could no more be revived in 
spite of the great efforts that were afterward yet put forth by 
Julian. 

By consulting the 7th and 14th chapters of Revelation, and 
the first five seals, we are bound to see that the twelve stars, which 
were the crown on the woman’s head, represented the first fruits 
unto God and the Lamb out of the twelve tribes of Israel,* and 
that these are they which “shall be great in the kingdom of heaven,” 
MMth. 5:19, and “shall shine as the stars in the firmament.” Dan. 
12:1-3. Malachi also prophesied of the elect, saying, “And they 
shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up 
My jewels.” (“That day” is the time of great tribulation whereof 
Jesus spoke in Matth. ch. 24, which ended with the victory of the 
Church.) The crown, moreover, represents these elect for the 
reason that they shall themselves receive a crown; for they shall 
reign with Jesus in his kingdom in the time of the restitution of 
all things, and shall have power over the nations, ruling them with 
a scepter of iron . . . even as I (Jesus) have received of my 

Father. (Rev. 2:26-27.) They are those that kept the works of 
Christ. Satan strove to prevent the bringing forth of these elect. 
See Rev. 12:2, 3, 4. But notwithstanding his rage their birth was 
completed. These constitute the spiritual body of Christ, the bride¬ 
groom “the Male Son” (literal “huios arren” in the Greek original, 
v. 5; in King James* version called The Manchild) that was caught 
up to God and to His throne. Jesus is the head of this body. They 
are also represented as pillars of the temple of God. Rev. 3:12; 
Rev. 11 :l-2. They are the 144,000 of Rev. ch. 7 and ch. 14, gath¬ 
ered out of the twelve tribes of Israel. Compare Rev. 12:5 with 
Rom. 11:1-8, etc. “They were not defiled with women.” They 
were of the true church of God, and had no fellowship with vile 
women; that is, impure churches who teach man-made doctrines 


* See Ch. IX, Exegesis of Rev. 6:1-11. 



76 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. IV. 


for commandments of God and commit fornication with the kings 
of the earth (having gone in partnership with the political powers). 
The germs of the apostacy began to show themselves among the 
Gentiles already in Paul's time, 2 Thess. 2:7-8, but could not grow 
much until paganism was removed and the gathering of the 144,000 
had been completed. The Christians from the tribes of Israel dis¬ 
tinguished themselves from those of the Gentiles inasmuch as they 
kept all the works of Christ and walked even as he walked, and had 
all things common. They kept all the commandments and statutes 
of God excepting only those sacrificial works that were foreshadow¬ 
ing the sacrifice of Christ, and the ceremonial Sabbaths that pointed 
to future things. They observed circumcision, because it was the 
sign of the special election of Abraham's seed long before the 
Mosaic covenant, and did not belong to the sacrificial works. They 
abstained from “unclean" meats and from the flesh of animals that 
were improperly killed and therefore contained blood, because these 
were laws of God for sanitary purposes and were not sacrificial. 
They kept all, even the least of all the statutes relative to God's 
commandments. Only they kept not the Levitical law of sin offer¬ 
ings, and brought no tithing for a hereditary priesthood and kept 
not the ceremonial Sabbaths ; because these things were nailed to 
.the cross and suspended during the present dispensation. But 
nevertheless the "Roman or so-called orthodox church slandered the 
Hebrew Christians, and called them Ebionite heretics, Judaizers, 
Adherents to the old covenant. 

The Spirit of God ordained the twelve Apostles to work among the 
dispersed children of Israel, or circumcision, while Paul was the 
chosen Apostle to the Gentiles. Of the Gentiles circumcision in the 
flesh was never required. So after John had seen in his vision, chap¬ 
ter 1, the 144,000 elect of Abraham’s seed, he then saw the members of 
another election, a great company which no man could number, from 
Jews and Greeks and Barbarians: from all nations and kindreds and 
people and tongues, see Rev. 7:9, 17. These are the members of the 
bride-company, adopted through obedience to the terms of the gospel, 
and engrafted as scions into the commonwealth of Israel (Eph. ch. 2) 
which is the old tree, the original tame olive tree, see Romans, chap¬ 
ter 11. These engrafted scions shall partake of its fatnesss, the prom¬ 
ises which before were given to the household of God, Israel, the 
people that keep God’s commandments. Thus they can receive a right 
to the tree of life and to enter through the gates into the holy city of 
God, which is composed of those members. The great bride-company 
is the holy city, as will be seen from the testimony of the Scripture 


Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 12. 


77 


in the next chapter. The Gentiles that are not engrafted through 
Christ into the stock of Israel cannot enter into the New Jerusalem. 
See Eph. ch. 2; Rom. ch. 11, etc. The Lord made no cov-* 
enant with the Gentiles as such. He says: “And a new cove¬ 
nant will I make with the house of Judah and Israel.” Therefore 
those that are not engrafted and keep not God’s commandments are 
not of Israel. “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that 
they may have a right to the tree of life and to enter into the city. 
For without are dogs and . . .” Rev. 22:14,15. The law con¬ 

tained in the Ten Commandments is the basis and consideration in 
every covenant that God made with man. That law was not only 
since the time that God spake to the children of Israel from Mount 
Sinai, but from the beginning. See Jer. 7:21,22; Rom. 3:31; Gen, 
26:5, etc. 

The second verse reads: “And she being with child, cried, tra¬ 
vailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.” 

It was generally supposed that the birth of this child, the 
“Manchild” of verse 5, does bring us back to the fleshly birth of 
Jesus. But the introduction to the Revelation (ch. 1:1) informs 
us that the things which were to be revealed, were things that were 
yet to come (after the time that John received the Revelation).* 
The Revelation therefore treats not on things that were in the 
past when John was on the Isle of Patmos. This prophecy speaks 
not of a carnal birth, but a spiritual. Neither is verse 5 of this 
chapter the only place in the Scripture where the singular is used 
for the plural. The said child (or son) can impossibly be a fleshly 
being; because the woman who brought him forth is not a fleshly 
woman. She is the Church of God. The Woman was pained to be 
delivered; for pagan Rome persecuted her until the last members 
of her manchild had been brought forth. 

The third verse reads: "And there appeared another wonder 
in heaven; and behold , a great red dragon, having seven heads and 
ten horns , and seven crowns upon his heads.” 


* The year when John received the Revelation cannot with exact¬ 
itude be ascertained. However, it is thought that John preached at 
Antioch and in Asia Minor at least twenty years before the destruction 
of Jerusalem. The ten prophetic days (common years) of persecu¬ 
tion which were foretold (in chapter 2) to come upon the church at 
Smyrna, fell in the reign of Domitian. It is therefore certain that 
John, the Apostle, was banished to the Isle of Patmos before the de¬ 
struction of Jerusalem. Could it be true that according to the belief 
of Dionysius of Alexandria the Revelation was written by another 
John? See Euseb. Eccl. Hist., Book VII, chapter 25. 



78 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. IV. 


The great dragon is the old serpent, the evil power (see verse 
9) that deceives the whole world; and the old pagan governments 
were his powerful tools and agents. Paul speaks of his fight 
against principalities and powers of darkness. Satan was called 
The prince of this world. He stirred up David to pride and 
tempted-Christ by offering him the kingdoms of the world; and 
he could Hell Jesus to the face that all kingdoms of the world 
were delivered unto him, etc. Therefore the dragon was in heav¬ 
enly places, where the woman now had also appeared. Through the 
six old empires of paganism and now through the seventh, the 
Roman, Satan had wielded his power over this world; and he strove 
against the woman to keep his ancient seat which he was about 
to lose. 

The number here given of Satan’s, heads and crowns and horns 
corresponds exactly with the number of the great pagan empires 
which had ruled over God’s people. At the time of this prophecy 
Satan was represented by pagan Rome which had succeeded to the 
dominion of the whole world as far as God’s people, first Jews, and 
then Christians, had become dispersed. Rome had swallowed up 
the six great dominions that had ruled before, namely, the Baby¬ 
lonian, one; the Medo-Persion, two; the four realms of the Greeks 
that sprang up after Alexander, six.* Add to these the Roman 
empire itself, and we have the seven, as was also foretold by Daniel. 
(2) The Roman empire fell into the possession of the “ten horns,” 
the modern kingdoms. The first causes for this division were al¬ 
ready at hand in the days of the victory of the Woman (A. D. 313), 
in Constantine’s reign; for Constantine himself was the founder 
of the Byzantine empire. Therefore, it is right that the ten horns 
were already mentioned in this verse. But Satan had only “seven 
crowns,” because he never reigned supreme over the so- 
called Christian governments, or the ten horns which arose later. 

* After Alexander’s death there were (1) the original kingdom of 
Macedon with Greece, (2) Thrace with Lesser Asia under the rule 
of Lysimmachus, (3) Syria under Seleucus, and (4) Egypt under 
Ptolemy. Then, when Lysimmachus’ kingdom was divided between 
Macedonia and Syria, Greece at the same time separated from Mace¬ 
donia and became independent. So Daniel’s prophecy was yet cor¬ 
rect; for there were still the four horns by which Alexander’s empire 
was divided, namely Macedonia, Greece, Syria and Egypt. These re¬ 
mained until finally they were absorbed, one after another, by the 
Romans. f i 



Exegesis of Rev. Ch . 12. 


70 


Only in the seven old pagan dominions was his rule supreme. x41so 
when the woman fled into the wilderness he still could never gain 
full possession of the ten horns. But he managed to torment the 
earth, underhanded, through the papacy and the ten horns. While 
Satan from beneath worked on them, they publicly professed to be 
witnesses and defenders of God’s truth. Indeed, witnesses of God 
they were notwithstanding all their iniquities. Satan’s crowns 
were therefore only seven; for he had absolute power as far as God’s 
people waa scattered, only in the seven pagan dominions of ancient 
times. 

The fourth verse reads: And his tail drew the third part of the 
stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth; and the dragon stood 
before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her 
child as soon as it was born ” 

Men who have great influence on nations, whether in religious 
or civil affairs, are called Stars. See Ch. 1. 

At the beginning of Satan’s war against the Church of Christ, 
when through paganism he yet ruled in the figurative heaven, 
namely over the Roman world, there were three religious powers. 
There were the Jews; and their priests still officiated in the temple 
which was at Jerusalem. Second, throughout the empire there pre¬ 
vailed the Graeco-Roman paganism, the worship of demons and 
idols, whose willing protector Satan himself was. And third, There 
was the Church of Christ. Satan succeeded to deprive the Jews 
of their stars, namely the priests who had authority over them. The 
Lord suffered him, through the armies of Rome, to cast down the 
stars of the Jewish hierarchy and to destroy the sanctuary at Jeru¬ 
salem. After this was done there was no other national govern¬ 
ment left as a witness of the only God. And the disgrace of the dis¬ 
persed Jews prevented their gaining more proselytes. But there 
was yet that peculiar people, the followers of Jesus, and that church 
through whom, according to the will of God, that seed (Gen. 3 :15; 
12:3, etc.) the spiritual body was to be perfected, by which in time 
all the families of the earth should be blessed and which should in¬ 
herit all the kingdoms of the earth, and should finally destroy the 
power of Satan. Therefore, after having cast down one-third of 
the stars of heaven, that is, the Jewish priests and leaders, Satan 
stood before the woman, raving to destroy her offspring, namely to 
prevent the perfecting of the spiritual body of Christ, the male 
body, the bridegroom, the 144,000, the first fruits unto God and 
the Lamb. 


80 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. IV. 

The reader will notice here another proof that the birth of “the 
manchild” is not the fleshly birth of Jesus; because the said birth 
was not yet in the past even at the time of the destruction of Jerusa¬ 
lem. For after the overthrow of the Jews the Woman had not yet 
finished the bringing forth of the full body of the manchild. Satan’s 
chief desire was to destroy the members of the spiritual body of 
Christ. After the terrible persecutions under Nero which before the 
destruction of Jerusalem had almost entirely extinguished the Gen¬ 
tile Christian congregations in the West, those of the Hebrew Christ¬ 
ians (of whom, according to the covenant of circumcision, the first 
election was) still flourished in Asia, at least in what was called 
Upper Asia.* It was against them that the great persecutions was 
directed in the reign of Trajan. 

Notice further the exactitude of this prophecy: It does not 
say that Satan destroyed "a horn,” but, that he drew down one- 
third of "the stars.” A horn symbolizes either a religious or a civil 
power. Satan could not take away the power and influence of the 
Jews’ religion over them. While it is now impossible to exercise 
lawfully the Levitical ordinances, Satan nevertheless could not de¬ 
stroy the Jews’ veneration for the same. The great respect for their 
religion and the great care to preserve the pure text of the Old 
Testament was undoubtedly the cause that the papacy could not 
interpolate, nor change, the old Scriptures during the Dark Ages 
when (as in the dispute of the Dominicans of Cologne, 1544) fanat¬ 
ics went so far as even to condemn the teaching of Greek and He¬ 
brew. Thus it was only the priesthood of the old covenant that 
was. broken up when the sanctuary was destroyed. "And Jeru¬ 
salem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles till the time of the 
Gentiles shall be fulfilled.” Further, says the prophecy: Satan 
did not draw the stars from the heavens, but from heaven. For at 
that time there was but one political heaven. The Jewish priests 
had held their eminent or heavenly position by the suffrance of the 
Caesars. Therefore Satan drew the stars from heaven (one 
heaven). Notice (3) that this prophecy also fortold, it was The 
Tail of the dragon which cast the third part of the stars from 
heaven; for the Eoman was The Last of Satan’s great pagan em¬ 
pires that ruled over all countries wherever any of God’s people 
were dispersed. The Assyro-Babylonian had been the first or fore- 

* Herewith is not meant that there were none but Christians of 
Gentile descent in the West, and no other but Hebrew Christians in 
the East, but only this: that the great majority of the Christians in 
Asia Minor, yet at that time, were from the tribes of Israel, and that 
by far the majority of those in Europe were from the Gentiles. 



Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 12. 


81 


most of those universal empires, and Rome was the tail. In Rev. 
13 :2 the first one is called The mouth of a lion, and here the last 
one is called The tail of the dragon; for Satan, who ruled absolute 
in the pagan empires, is called in the Scripture A roaring lion, 
and also A dragon. 

The fifth verse reads: “ And she brought forth a manchild who 
was to rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught 
up to God and to His throne” 

We have already referred to the fact that the Revelation does 
not speak of things that were in the past when John was in the Isle 
of Patmos. Also for other incontrovertible facts (not only already 
given, but yet going to be produced) this verse cannot speak of the 
fleshly birth of Jesus, but brings us to the sealing of the 144,000 
members of the spiritual body of Christ, Rev. 7:1-8, and to the 
time of the proclamation of the Edict of Toleration when the great 
suffering of the Church under pagan Rome were ended (A. D. 313). 
The manchild was now fully born, all the members of the body 
whereof Jesus is the head, all the 144,000 elect of Rev. ch. 7 and cli. 
14, which in time to come shall reign with Jesus on the earth (Rev. 
2:26-27; Rev. 5:10; Ps. 149, etc.) were now brought forth unto 
God. Further proof that this manchild was not Jesus alone, but 
represents that spiritual body whereof Jesus is the head, is given in 
verses 10 and 11 of this chapter. For we read that “they” over¬ 
came the dragon by the blood of the lamb and by “their” testimony, 
and “they” did not love their lives unto the death. They, after 
first having been ransomed by the blood of Jesus and begotten of 
God, became sons of God, brethren of Jesus,^ and as such they also 
suffered (Rev. 1:9, etc.) and with Christ they were that particular 
seed in which all the families of the earth shall be blessed according 
to the promise. These 144,000 were not like the Gentile Christians, 
for they were obedient in all things. They delighted in keeping 
all of God’s commandments. Even in such a small matter as diet 
“there was nothing false found in their mouth. And they follow 
the Lamb wherever he goeth.” 

Further, let it be noticed that their being caught up was not 
merely to heavenly places in the figurative sense, that is to say, it 
was not an ascending to rulership in this present world; no, for 
the text says: “They were caught up to God and to His throne” 
They had come to the assembly of the first born which is in heaven. 
They were to be with Jesus who now sits in his Father’s throne 


82 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. IV. 


(Rev. 3:21) until they shall return with him to inherit the king¬ 
dom that was prepared for them from the foundation of the world. 
Therefore Paul said, “I wish to depart and be with Christ.” The 
144,000 from the tribes of Israel are sealed before the throne of 
God, as it is written in Rev. ch. 7 and ch. 14:1-5, and are awaiting 
the fulfillment of the promise that God shall make the enemies of 
Christ his footstool. Then shall they return with Jesus and reign 
with Him on earth. Rev. 5:10. 

Jesus prayed the Father before his suffering that his 
own might be also with him, that they might see the 
glory which he had with the Father and left for their 
sake. John 17:24.* And he also told them, that when 
he returns, in the reign of the regeneration, they shall sit on 
thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Matth. 19 :28; Rom. 
15 :8, etc. With Jesus they shall subdue the earth and prepare it 
for the final abode of all the redeemed. The 144,000 are they which 
follow the Lamb wherever he goeth . . . redeemed from among 

men being the first fruits unto God and the Lamb. And in their 
mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault.” 

Having permitted the destruction of the temple and the dis¬ 
persion of the old priesthood, God made it at present impossible for 
the Jews to observe in a lawful manner any of those ceremonies and 
sin offerings that were made by meats and drinks and by the blood 
of animals (which by themselves cannot take away sin) and were 
therefore imperfect till Christ came. But the believing Gentiles 
were not only free from these laws and the tithing for that priest¬ 
hood which yet in Paul's time ministered in the temple, but also 
from circumcision; arid they were also not bound even to keep cer¬ 
tain sanitary laws, although these had no bearing on the old sacri¬ 
ficial law. The Hebrew Christians, however, kept all the command¬ 
ments of God that had no bearing on the old sacrificial law. We 
learn this not only from profane history, but also from Acts 
21:19-25 and other passages. They observed circumcision, the pre¬ 
scribed vows of Nazarites, and abstained from unclean (unhealthy) 
food, etc. They delighted to do these things; they loved all the 
commandments of God and considered it a great privilege to know 
them and do them. We notice even Paul held to this. Acts. 18:18, 
etc. But, as a rule, the Gentiles rejoiced that they were absolved 
from some of them. From Paul’s letter to the Galatians (who 

* Why did Swedenborg and others not notice this and similar pas¬ 
sages which are so plain? See Ch. V on the Doctrine of the Trinity. 



Exegesis of Rev . Ch. 12. 


83 


were Gentiles) it appears, however, that there were alsq exceptions; 
and that there were some among the Gentiles that went even be¬ 
yond, and did wrong by thinking it was right to keep feast days and 
ceremonial Sabbaths, and that they should also keep circumcision. 
These men were wrong because (1) As to the old feasts and cere¬ 
monial Sabbaths (those of unleavened bread, of the feast of taber¬ 
nacles, the great atonement day, etc.) they were nailed to the cross 
with the rest of the sacrificial law; and (2) As to circumcision, 
it was the sign of a special covenant given only to the seed of Abra¬ 
ham, and of promises which are to be fulfilled in the dispensation 
which is to come, in the millennial age. The Abrahamic covenant 
with its sign of circumcison was given 430 years before the sacri¬ 
ficial laws were given through Moses. Therefore, it was only the 
sacrificial or Levitical law and the tithes to the priesthood (not 
circumcision) to which the apostles referred at the council of Jeru¬ 
salem when they spoke of the law that had become an unbearable 
burden . 

All the male members of Hebrew-Christian communities were 
therefore circumcised. When in the year 135 uncircumcision was 
introduced into the church at Jerusalem by Bishop Marcus who was 
of Gentile descent, the Hebrew Christian members withdrew to 
themselves.* Not this alone, but the observance of all of God’s laws 
and also the custom of having all things common, distinguished the 
Ebionites or the Poor (as the Hebrew Christians were called) from 
the Gentiles. But, though poor as to the things of this world, they 
were rich. See Rev. 2:9. For to them belong the exceeding great 
promises that God gave to His first elect, to them that loved Him 
and kept all His commandments. These members of the “huios 
arrena” or “male son” suffered severally in their flesh the afflictions 
which, as Paul says, were yet to be fulfilled. Further, he says, 
If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him. And John, in 
Rev. 1:9, writes to his brethren as their companion in the trib¬ 
ulation of Christ and also in his kingdom. The world despised 
them as fools. They were, as Paul says, “a spectacle unto the world 
and to angels and to men.” 1 Cor. 4. That was the heroic age of 
the militant church on earth, the time of the greatest martyrdoms 
and suffering of the followers of Christ among all the nations 

* On this matter see Ch. XIX. The new (Gentile Christian) 
community at Jerusalem did, however, not drop the observance of the 
Saobath (the seventh day) until the fourth century. 



84 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. IV. 

where the posterity of Israel had become dispersed. Matth. 10:23. 

But while the twelve apostles were principally preaching and 
writing to the twelve tribes Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles.* 
He was taught by the Spirit to allow them to disregard certain san¬ 
itary la^ which the Hebrew Christians kept, and to remain un¬ 
circumcised. Therefore the Spirit resisted Paul when he, coming 
from the council at Jerusalem, wanted first to enter Asia Minor 
and Bithynia to preach the same way as he was to preach to Gen¬ 
tiles. For in those countries Hebrews lived in great numbers and 
there, soon afterward, the seven communities of Rev. ch. 2 and 
Rev. ch. 3 were established under the episcopacy of John. Paul 
had to pass Asia by, and when he came to Troas he was directed to 
pass over into Europe. See Acts ch. 16. The preaching of salva¬ 
tion through Christ was the same both to Jews and Gentiles, but 
the difference lay in the keeping of God’s commandments which the 
latter never fully observed. Therefore the Gentiles will not reach 
the highest station in the kingdom of God. Jesus said, "Till heaven 
and earth pass, not one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the 
law till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of 
these least commandments and shall teach men so, shall be called 
the least in the kingdom of heaven.” And he that taught and ob¬ 
served them "shall be great in the kingdom of heaven.” The mem¬ 
bers of the bridegroom dould therefore be gathered from them only 
that kept all of God’s commandments.! 

It was for the keeping of God’s commandments that the He¬ 
brew Christians were slandered and persecuted as Judaizing heret¬ 
ics. The Roman Catholics anathematized the church communities 
in Syria and Minor Asia for this very thing that they kept the 
sanitary laws of the Scripture, and the Seventh Day (the Sabbath 
of the Lord) and because they would not accept human traditions 
and the doctrine of the Homoousion and that Christ changed, or 
could change, the commandments and othqr regulations that were 
set up at the council of Nice. Now the Scripture proves that the 
Roman church is the false church, that she perverted the word of 
God, and that in her accusations against the Ebionites she blas- 

* This means generally. For there were exceptions. It was 
Paul’s policy, wherever he went to the cities of the Gentiles to address 
the Jews first that happened to be there. This was best. And we 
know that Peter was the first who preached to the Gentiles. 

t For a better understanding of this truth see Ch. IX. 



Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 12. 


85 


phemed the Name of God and them that dwell in heaven, Rev. 13 :6; 
and that not the Roman Catholics, but the old communities in Asia, 
were orthodox * 

The second election, namely that for the innumerable bride- 
company, is taken from all nations and kindreds and tongues. 
Rev. 7:9. They did not in their life attain to the perfection of the 
first, hut they are chiefly those overcomers that were in the impure 
churches of Babylon. They came out of great tribulation and have 
washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” 
Rev. 7:14. But to them that were not defiled and had left all 
things for the sake of the kingdom of God, Jesus said that in the 
time of the regeneration, when he shall receive his kingdom, they 
shall sit upon thrones. They shall reign with Jesus to bring back 
to God the things whereof the prophets have spoken (Acts 3:19-26; 
Ps. 2; Ez. ch. 16, etc.) while the great bridecompany, New Jeru¬ 
salem, shall not descend from God out of heaven until after the 
millenium. Rev. 21 :l-2. 

The birth and sealing of the manchild, or body of Christ, was 
completed with the ending of the “little season” under the fifth 
seal. Rev. 6:9-13. The fifth seal ended in 313, the year of the 
proclamation of the Edict of Toleration by Emperor Constantine. 
Rev. 7 :l-5 shows in harmony with 2 Thes. 2, that the opening of the 
sixth seal (which contained the fall of the Roman empire) was 
purposely delayed until the body of the manchild was complete. 
The first verses of Rev. ch. 7 are a supplement to the fifth seal, 
given in a new vision: John saw four angels standing on the four 
corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth “that the 
wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor ony any tree. 
And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal 
of the living God; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels 
to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt 
not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, t till we have sealed 

f The earth represents the common people; the sea represents 
warfaring men, revolutionists, invaders; trees are great men 

* The “so-called Orthodox” after having destroyed the Ebionite 
writings heaped up falsehoods, saying they held the belief of the 
Docetae, namely, that Jesus had been a mere man. But the same 
Catholic writers contradict themselves by testifying that the church 
of Jerusalem held Arian views. This is true; for the writings of 
the first members of that community, those of Peter, James and John, 
prove it. 



86 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. IV. 


the servants of God in their foreheads. And I heard the number 
of them that were sealed; and there were seated 144,000 of all the 
tribes of Israel.” This shows that the avenging judgment of God 
was not to fall upon the Roman empire until the 144,000 were gath¬ 
ered before God. Then the sixth seal was opened. The first great 
event under it was the public acknowledgment of the fall of pagan¬ 
ism by the granting of tolerance to Christianity by the Roman 
state. As soon as paganism was extinguished the fall of the civil 
government of the Roman empire commenced. Then the old heaven 
that had ruled the world departed. The peaceable people, handi¬ 
craftsmen and tillers of the soil were hurt the same as the restless 
political parties and great men. The earth and the sea and the 
trees were hurt. And the “stars” (the rulers and leaders of the 
state) fell from their high position ; and all men in anguish and 
confusion were looking for the immediate appearing of the last 
judgment. 

As soon as pagan persecutions had ceased, the papacy obtained 
opportunity and power to grow. Paganism had prevented the papacy 
from gaining much power. It was that hindrance to which Paul 
alluded in his second letter to the Thessalonians as being yet in the 
way before the man of sin (compare Rev. 13:18) which is the papal 
system, could become manifest. As long as the state religion was 
pagan, the powers of darkness did not strive to exalt another false 
religion, and the papacy could not obtain favors from princes. But 
when paganism was overthrown and Satan found himself cast down 
from his ancient seat of power, he commenced other tactics in his 
war on the Church of Christ. And finally he succeeded to endow the 
popedom with power from the governments of this world to oppose 
the true church. He procured for the popedom his old seat which 
he had lost over the governments of this world. And the popedom 
received his former power and great authority to kill the saints. See 
verse 13; also Rev. 13:1,2. Then the Woman (the true church) fled 
into the wilderness, and remained there until God humbled her adver¬ 
saries. She has again appeared publicly before the world, and is yet 
bringing forth children unto God, members of the innumerable bride- 
company out of all nations, until the return of Christ.. 

Paul spoke of himself as being a member of the first election 
(of the manchild or bridegroom) when he said (Col. 1:24) that he 
filled up also in his flesh that which was yet behind of the afflic¬ 
tions of Christ. (His own share as one of the 144,000 members of 
the spiritual body of Christ, or ‘"congregation of the first born” 
whose head is Christ Jesus” the first born of many brethren.” 


Exegesis of Rev. Ch, 12. 


87 


See Epistle to the Hebrews, ch. 12, etc.) Peter likewise wrote to 
the outlandish Hebrews (1 Pe. 4:13) : “Rejoice, inasmuch as ye 
are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his glory shall be 
revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." There are 
numerous passages in the Scripture that speak of the bride and 
again of the bridegroom (the manchild of this chapter), especially 
in the Revelation. But Paul in his epistles seldom uses the term 
“church" in the same spiritual sense as it is used in prophecy. 
Paul used it frequently for a congregation as we generally do at 
present, and as it is used in the 2nd and 3rd chapters of Revelation, 
in those letters which antedate the prophetic visions that commence 
with chapter 4. We know that in a congregation there are often 
members that do not belong to the Church of God. In this chapter, 
however, the term Woman has the same prophetic meaning as in 
Isa. 54, namely “Mother," whose husband is God; or, the Church 
of God. Paul speaks sometimes of the Male Christbody, or Bride¬ 
groom, and sometimes of the members of the Bride. And in ac¬ 
cordance with that symbolism which comprehends the man and 
his wife as being One Flesh, he sometimes speaks of them together 
as of one body in Christ. Now notice, that Rev. ch. 12 is not an 
epistle of an apostle, but Divine prophecy, given by God Himself 
(Rev. 1:1) and that it must be understood as such; and that there¬ 
fore the Woman in this prophecy is the same as in old prophecy, 
namely the church, the Lord's Own, the Mother whose husband is 
God. The 144,000, begotten of God by His Word, or Spirit, and 
brought forth by His Church, constitute the Male Christbody which 
is from the circumcision, and they are called the “Firstborn" and 
the “Firstfruits." The innumerable company, however, from all 
nations, also begotten in the Church of God by the Spirit of God, 
is the Bride that shall be spiritually the Wife of the Male Body of 
Christ. * 

I Cor. 12:13-14 teaches that the body of Christ is composed of 
many members. God is the author, and He is the author of our 
salvation; we are begotten of Him and His workmanship, says the 
Scripture. The birth of members for the bride company goes on 
until near Christ's return. Jesus says, “No man can come to me, 
except the Father, Who sent me, draw him. In 1 Cor. 12:27 Paul 
says not, Ye are the body of the Church of Christ, but The body of 
Christ; because finally the bridegroom and the bride shall become 
one. The saints of the church congregation at Corinth, as many 


88 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch.1V. 

as had come out of the Gentiles, belonged to the great company 
which is the bride of the Lamb; for out of the Gentiles came the 
greatest part of the congregation at Corinth. But, whereas the 
very first members of the Corinthian congregation had been con¬ 
verted from the Jewish synagogue, and because afterwards some 
more were added from emigrant Jews out of Italy, we must apply 
1 Cor. 6:2 specially to them who belonged to the first election; for 
we have another example in Rom. 2:17-25, where Paul speaks to 
Jews only although the epistle had been addressed at the beginning 
to all, Gentiles as well as Jews. See also Eph. 1:22-23, and com¬ 
pare therewith Heb. 12:23 where the apostle is speaking to the 
Hebrews concerning the spiritual body of Christ, the “Called out,” 
the Firstborn, and Rev. 14:4 “the Firstfru-its unto God and to the 
Lamb.” (Begotten of God, 1 Pe. 1:23; John 1:13; 3:3-8;) born 
of the Woman (which is the Church or Mother) unto God, Rev. 
12:5; Isa. 54:5. Compare Isa. 54:11 with Rev. 21:19: the de¬ 
scription of the city which shall descend after the millenial reign 
of the Bridegroom is past.) 

Jesus spake of John the Baptist, that he was a prophet than whom 
there was no greater, and that nevertheless “he that is least in the 
kingdom of heaven, is greater than he.” Jesus in speaking here of 
the kingdom of heaven refers to the first heaven, which is mentioned 
in Rev. 21:1, namely the dominion of the 144,000 elect. John, who 
under great adversity (being in prison and in deep affliction) was 
overcome and deceived, so that he began to doubt the Messiahship of 
Jesus, was not one of the members of the hero, the “huios arre’n” 
(male Son) of God. John therefore has no part in the millennial 
reign, but belongs to the weaker class, the bride-company, that washed 
their robes after much tribulation and vascillating (Rev. 7:14). 
Jesus sent to the doubting John those cheering words recorded in 
Matt. 11:5, to revive his faith. He assured him by his wonderful 
works and the teaching of the prophets that he was indeed the Mes¬ 
siah. John spoke of this beforehand under prophetic influence when 
he said, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of 
the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoiceth greatly 
because of the bridegroom’s voice; this my joy is therefore fulfilled.” 
John, 3:29. 

The sixth verse reads: And the woman fled into the wilderness, 
where she hath a place prepared of God , that they should feed her 
there two hundred and three score days . 

This verse shows that the completion of the first election, the 
sealing of the 144,000 (Rev. 7:4) was in the past before the Woman 
filed into the wilderness. History shows that she fled 218 years 


Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 12. 


89 


after the delivery of the Manchild. And the time of her conceal¬ 
ment was 1,260 prophetic days, common years: a time of gross dark¬ 
ness over all the world (between 531 and 1791). It was the time 
when the papacy and her daughters possessed the help of the polit¬ 
ical powers to crush liberty of conscience and to kill the saints. 
God, however took care of His Church. While the nations of the 
earth were tyrannized by false churches a remnant of God’s people 
was preserved. Notice, instead of touching the events that imme¬ 
diately followed upon the victory of the Church over paganism, this 
verse foretells already the flight of the woman as the final result of 
Satan’s great wrath over the loss of his heavenly power, spoken of 
in verses 7-9. Verses 13 and 14 show that the flight of the Woman 
did not occur immediately upon Satan’s fall, but some time after. 
The victory of the church in 313 was the opposite from being forced 
to flee. At that time Satan had lost his supreme rulership, he was 
cast down from heaven to the earth. Therefore verses 13 and 14 
relate that when the dragon saw that his great power was gone, he 
renewed his fight and that he succeeded after some time to endow 
a false church with authority so great that the Woman (after 531) 
was compelled to flee into the wilderness. The dragon caused uni¬ 
versal respect and power to be given to that false church which 
blasphemed the Name of God and changed the law (Rev. 13 :6; 
Dan. 7:25) and made war on the saints (Rev. 13:7). 

The first six verses of this chapter contain, as we have seen, a 
synopsis of the History of the Church of Christ to the end of the 
1,260 years. The following greater part of this chapter unfolds new 
pictures by which we gain yet more instruction on the same subject. 
However, our interpretation of this part will be short for the reason 
that we have dwelt on the first at considerable length and have thereby 
already gained a good insight into the following: 

Verses 7, 8 and 9 read: “And iliere was war in heaven. Michael 
and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought 
and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found 
any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old 
serpent, called The Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole 
world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out 
with him.” 

The Hebrew name Michael signifies One like God. This is 
Christ. The word Angel literally means Messenger. Michael’s 
angels were the preachers of the gospel. And Satan’s angels, which 
were cast out with him, were the priests and officers of the pagan 


90 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch.IV. 

Roman state-religion. The above verses foretold again the fall of 
paganism and the victory of Christianity over the powers that were 
in the old figurative heaven, namely the pagan powers that had 
ruled over the ancient Roman world. The Scripture says that the 
worship of false Gods is the worship of devils. Neither was their 
place found any more in heaven. Julian (for a short time) tried 
to raise the old pagan religion again. But he could not. He 
durst not revoke- Constantine’s edict nor detract aught from the 
rights and liberties of the Christians.* 

The overthrow of paganism was brought about by the power 
of the Word of God. The Scriptures teach that Michael, the 
archangel, is the Christ. In Dan. 10:16 he is also called One like 
the similitude of the sons of men. He is the angel (the messenger 
of God) and the prince that brought Israel out of Egypt and led 
kim (them) through the wilderness (Acts 7:35-38), and fought 
for himt in the conquest of Canaan. Josh. 5:14; Ex. 23:20-21. 
In Daniel 12 :1 Michael is called The great prince that standeth for 
the people of Israel. And the time of Michael’s standing up is 
undoubtedly the very time of the development and birth of the 
manchild from Christ’s baptism down to 313; for it includes the 
time spoken of in Matth. 24:22. Further, The voice of Christ and 
the voice of the archangel is the same voice that awakens the dead. 
The “angels” of Michael are the “messengers” of Christ whom he 
sent into all the world to preach the gospel. They overcame Satan 
not with carnal weapons, but with the weapons of the Spirit, namely 
the Word of God, and by their patience and martyrdom. 

Verses 10 and 11 read: “And I heard a loud voice saying in 
heaven: “Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of 
our God and the power of His Anointed: for the accuser of our 
brethren is cast down ivhich accused them before our God day and 
night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by 
the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto\ 
the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens * and ye that dwell in 
them!” 


* The said war in heaven had therefore a short after-episode 
between 3G1 and 363 when Julian zealously endeavored to revive old 
pagandom. The prophecy was therewith fulfilled the second time. 

f Israel, the singular, is used in Hebrew instead of the plural 
for all the children of Israel, the same as The Manchild in this chap¬ 
ter stands for all the members of the bride groom. 



Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 12. 


91 


These verses declare the triumph over Satan’s fall, which was 
achieved not only by Jesus, but through the grace of God by all 
members of the spiritual Christbodv. They suffered and preached 
unto the world the glad tidings of salvation and the coming king¬ 
dom of God. And as soon as their full number was brought forth 
and caught up to the throne of God, the kingdom of God was as¬ 
sured to come; and it will come on the earth in due time. Christ 
shall return with his saints, and God’s kingdom shall be set up in 
power and glory. God’s will shall be done on earth, as it is in 
heaven. Now this verse does not say that only one (Jesus) over¬ 
came the dragon, but they overcame him. They were also suffering 
in their bodies those afflictions of Christ (of the spiritual Christ- 
body) which, as Paul said, were yet behind. Thus we see that the 
members of that body which is the bridegroom had a greater re¬ 
sponsibility than the bride; and they were not sheltered before God 
against the accusations of Satan like the bride.t The female is the 
weaker vessel, partly not able and partly not willing to bring such 
great sacrifices and to fight such battles as the members of the 
bridegroom. 

Part of verses 10 and 11 admit, like many other prophecies, a 
yet wider interpretation than that which appears on the surface: 
1) We have certainly shown sufficiently that Heaven denotes the 
seat of government, the seat of ruling powers; that Sun and Moon 
represent religious and civil powers, and that eminent men are 
called Stars, and that the terra Heaven being in verse 7 in the sin- 

* Here we have Heavens, plural; because after the conflict of the 
Christian Church with paganism the old Roman dominion (or One- 
heaven) commenced to pass away. The “ten horns” of Daniel, the 
new powers, arose in the room of the defunct Roman empire and ruled 
before the time of the flight of the Woman into the wilderness. 

f It may be partly from a misunderstanding of such truths (if 
ever they did have an inkling of them) that the Roman Catholics 
strengthened themselves in their idolatrous mass and the worship of 
saints. But Christ Jesus died once for all. He died also for the sins 
of them, that afterward became members of the spiritual Ohristbody. 
God accepted and chose them to become such members because their 
walk was of a higher order than that of any of the bride-company. 
But beside the bride-company there are yet others that will be only 
saved as though by fire, whose works merit no reward, but will be 
burnt up, and they will be left naked as Adam was and will not rise 
higher than the estate of Adam when he was created. 



92 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. IV. 


gular, applies to the Roman empire which began to pass away 
after the victory of the Christian religion. Now notice further 
that in the Scripture the term “God” is sometimes applied to the 
agents of God, to Christ, to angels and to persons to whom the 
word of God came. See John 10:34-35; Exodus 7:1; 1 Sam. 
28:13; Judges 13:22. As with the true so it was also with the 
false or pagan religion. The Caesars had the office of Highpriest 
(Pontifex Maximus) of the Roman state-religion; and the Romans 
had not only commenced to call their Caesars Gods, but finally went 
so far as to worship them. (2) The Christians were continually 
accused before those gods, the Caesars. Edicts to persecute the 
Christians were therefore issued by the pagan state-power, or 
dragon power. Already before the time of the fulfilment of this 
prophecy there were many Christians in the households and even 
among the kindred of the emperors. These were in constant danger 
of being detected and accused before “their god,” or Caesar. 
Helena, the mother of Constantine, was a Christian. Co-emperor 
Galerius, one of the fiercest persecutors of the Christians, had near 
k relatives who believed in Jesus. I cannot now remember exactly 
but either the wife or daughter of an emperor died the 
death of martyrdom as a fugitive Christian in Greece. But with 
the fall of paganism this terrible condition was ended. And also 
at the same time, the dismemberment of the empire was begun bv 
Constantine (who made Byzantium another capital) and the gov¬ 
ernment was thenceforth no longer one and indivisible. Also not 
long thereafter the ten horns established themselves, and new gov¬ 
ernments under new heavens were thus formed; therefore it could 
truly be said, “Rejoice ye, heavens* (plural). Now whereas accord¬ 
ing to the foregoing twofold interpretation (which is true) it was 
not God Himself, but only the voice of those that were caught up 
to God’s throne, and also the voice of men in “heavenly places” 
(namely in the ruling spheres of this world) that rejoiced, it is 
also evident that these that rejoiced could not know the future in 
all things. It was not the Spirit of God that proclaimed here the 
immediate setting up of God’s kingdom with power, but those holy 
men thought (very reasonably) that the time for it was come. In 
this they were mistaken, the same as afterward men were when they 
looked for the end of all thing's under the sixth seal, and as Paul 
first was when he had expected the return of Christ already in his 
lifetime. The members of the first election, the “manchild that 


Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 12 . 


93 


was to rule” (that was expected to rule) was caught up to God and 
to His throne (v. 5) there to remain until it is the Father’s will for 
them to return and reign. Jesus said that he did not know when 
the kingdom shall be set up, but only the Father. Compare Matth. 
24:36; Acts 1:6-7; Rev. 1:1. 

Instead of the reign of Christ being set up, as was expected, 
the prophecy foretold, verse 12: “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth 
and sea; for the devil is come down to you , having great wrath, 
because he knows that he hath but a short time!* 

After paganism was overthrown Satan saw that the time for 
his intrigues was drawing to a close, that it was to be short in com¬ 
parison with his long reign over the earth since the fall of Adam, 
and yet shorter if the great length of time is considered since his 
rebellion before the creation of the world; and he saw that he 
could no longer manage his affairs directly and with open authority 
as when he was yet sitting in heavenly places with supreme power 
over the kingdoms of this world. He had to work indirectly by 
subtle and underhand means, namely through the agency of some¬ 
one else. To establish such an agency he exerted himself to the ut¬ 
most; and after an incessant struggle of 218 years, from 313 to 
531, he was able to place a counterfeit church, a harlot, in his 
ancient seat and to procure for her the assistance of political gov¬ 
ernments and the great authority which he himself could no more 
attain; Rev. 13:2. When the Roman papacy had thus been 
strengthened, the true Woman, the pure Church of Christ, was 
driven into the wilderness. Through the impure church Satan 
sowed corruption and vice and plunged the world back again in 
ignorance and superstition, and persecuted the saints. But not¬ 
withstanding all this, a certain small measure of the knowledge of 
the true God and of the gospel of Jesus Christ was yet preserved 
during the Dark Ages even among the most benighted people. It 
was impossible for Satan to extinguish the outward appearance and 
form of Christianity because in the overthrow of paganism he had 
lost his former power and authority. Therefore even the false 
church, and the corrupted so-called Christian governments were 
themselves witnesses of God, as ilev. ch. 11 has foretold. How 
those witnesses deceived and tormented the nations during the 
Dark Ages and persecuted the saints of God is shown in the inter¬ 
pretation of Rev. ch. 11 and ch. 13. Therefore the prophecy said, 
“Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and sea!” Well was it said by 


94 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. IV. 


the Donatists already in 374 when speaking of the attack bn them 
by papal agency, that “The evil spirit which formerly was openly 
combatted by the church was becoming to be a more dangerous 
enemy in its covert attacks, since it made a pretext of religion 
itself and strove to insinuate itself into men’s hearts.” 

Verses'13 to 17 read: And when the dragon saw that he was 
cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth 
the manchild. And to the woman ivere given the wings of a great 
eagle, that she might fly unto her place, where she is nourished for 
a time and times and a half a time, from the face of the serpent. 
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water, as a flood after the 
womdn, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 
And the earth helped the woman; and the earth opened her mouth 
and swallowed up the flood, which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 
And the dragon was wroth with the remnant of her seed,which keep 
the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

In these verses w^e see again the facts foretold that Satan re¬ 
newed his attacks on the church after his defeat. False dogmas ob¬ 
tained full foothold; and finally the absolute reign and authority 
of the church of the papacy was insured by her gaining the co¬ 
operation of the political powers. Thereby such a condition was 
created that the faithful servants of God and the opponents of the 
popedom were considered enemies of the civil government. This 
arrangement Satan brought to a finish and set it in working order 
through Emperor Justinian, 218 years after the Church had gained 
the victory over paganism. From that time onward, from the year 
531 to the great French revolution, persecutions were so great that 
the saints were killed, and that the remnant had to seek refuge in 
desert places. Wings and The shadow of wings are terms used in 
Scripture for protection and for places of security for the saints 
of God. Now, literally, the great eagle is the well known inhabitant 
of the Alps. Under the similitude of a Great Eagle’s Wings we 
therefore recognize the Wild Western Alps that separate • France 
from Italy as the place designed oi* God for the chief abode of the 
Woman during the Dark Ages. Chiefly into the regions on either 
side (or, on the Two Wings) of those mountains the fugitives fled 
when finally the Antipapal powers were entirely plucked up when 
Italy, the southern part of France and Spain were fallen into 
the popedom’s hands. From those mountain regions men carried 
the pure doctrines of Christ to other parts of Europe during the 
darkest times of the Dark Ages. 


Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 12. 


95 


In the chapter on the Language of Prophecy we found that 
Waters and Floods stand for multitudes. Whole armies were 
sometimes sent out to exterminate them that would not obey the 
pope’s teaching. The serpent, not being able to defile the Woman, 
aimed to carry her away with a flood. But she found a retreat in 
the wilderness. Thus the pure primitive gospel church was then 
no longer the light of the world, and the two witnesses that alone 
stood and testified before the world, namely the ecclesiastic and 
civil powers of the Dark Ages, were clothed in filthy sackcloth. 
And they allowed only fragments and crumbs of gospel truth to 
be dealt out to the people. The teachers, elders and missionaries 
of the primitive church, and the Poor, or Ebionites, and other 
primitive Christians, disappeared, and were no longer known. 
Their name was slandered, their writings were destroyed, and what 
we know of them we obtain from the testimony of their enemies. 
They had to hide among mountains, in secluded valleys, from the 
fury of the popes, and later also from the persecutions of the new 
sects during the long time of 1,2G0 years of darkness. But God 
took care of them. And the earth helped the Woman not_only in 
the literal, but also in the figurative sense, inasmuch as the perse¬ 
cuted people of God were sheltered by the poor and peaceable people 
that respected them for their pure lives. In such a state was 
Christendom during the Dark Ages when the worldly governments 
took a hand in religious matters; and yet there are preachers today 
that lecture on the duty of governments to meddle with our duties 
to God. If such preachers had their way, how long would it be 
till we would be in a condition like Spain and other countries have 
been ? The powers that be must take care only of the duties of men 
toward one another, the laws of the second table as Paul teaches 
in Rom. 13:8-9-10. They have no right to meddle with religion. 

* * * In reference to the earth’s swallowing up the flood 
which the dragon cast out of his mouth to carry the woman away, 
we notice the twofold fulfillment: the shelter both of the physical 
and of the figurative earth. As to the latter, namely, how the com¬ 
mon, peaceable people afforded help to the persecuted saints, we make 
the following extract from Neander’s Notes and Remarks to his 
Vol. III. (Although yet relating to the time before the flight of 
the woman, it illustrates likewise the conditions as they were later.) 
“Now, the pagans of the village . . . resorted to artifice in order 
to deceive their pagan authorities and to save the Christians who 
were their neighbors . . . Sometime afterward the pagan mag¬ 
istrate ordered another similar examination to be held in the same 


96 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. IV. 

place for the purpose of ascertaining whether there were no apostates 
from the old popular religion. On this occasion certain persons 
presented themselves ready to take oath before the magistrate who 
managed the trial, that there were no Christians in their village; but 
Sabas came forth and said, “So far as it concerns me, let no one swear, 
for I am a Christian.” Upon this the inhabitants of the village, who 
had removed the Christians from their homes to a place of conceal¬ 
ment, declared on their oath that “there was but one Christian in 
their village.” The person who conducted the examination caused 
Sabas to be brought before the assembly, and asked the bystanders 
whether he owned any property. Being assured that he owned noth¬ 
ing but what was on his back, the pagan contemptously exclaimed, 
“Such a fellow can do neither good nor hurt, and ordered him to be 
cast out * * 

Brother Raleigh added the following comment: “In regard to 
the Eagle’s Wings, the eagle is undoubtedly a symbol of power, and 
the wings are also a symbol of flight. Therefore inasmuch as the 
woman had the wings of a great eagle she fled by divine power, and 
was aided in getting to her place of isolation by the power of God. 
As to the time, times and a half a time this is three and one-half 
years or 1,260 days prophetic time=l,260 years. But this cycle of 
abode of the woman in the wilderness does not exactly coincide with 
the time., of the reign of the two witnesses. For while the union of 
state and church commenced in 531 when Justinian began to material¬ 
ize his plans for establishing the papacy, the latter had not yet 
received its great power. The papacy could not drive the woman into 
the wilderness until it was given the power which it did not receive 
until 539, when (after the Vandal war was finished) Justinian lifted 
up the papacy by destroying the kingdom of the Ostrogoths and turn¬ 
ing over the city of Rome to the pope. A king commences his reign 
when he is placed upon the throne and not when he is declared heir. 
The pope was placed upon his throne in 539 when he regained posses¬ 
sion of the city of Rome. And although the Ostrogoths retook after 
this all Italy again for a few years, they nevertheless left the pope 
undisturbed in his possession. Now from 539 measure 1,260 years 
and we come to 1799. For although the French revolution in 1791 
killed the papacy in France, yet was it suffered again in 1795. And 
the blow that was struck at the papacy in 1791 was also struck at the 
true church. The arrest of the pope by Berthier was of very little 
consequence in itself, but it resulted in an important change. When 
the people saw that the pope’s tears and prayers alike availed him 
nothing, and that in spite of his curses Napoleon continued to pros¬ 
per exceedingly, then by and by the Catholics themselves lost their 
confidence in his power; and rulers ceased to fear him. Since that 
time he was no longer able to persecute heretics by the aid of the 
secular arm, not only in France, but also in all Europe, and the pope 
has never regained his exceeding great power which he formerly had. 
This blow fell on the papacy, but never touched the true church. 


Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 12. 


97 


Therefore at this time, 1799, we must reckon the end of the 1,260 
years of isolation of the woman in the wilderness. For although 
Pius was taken prisoner in 1798, his imprisonment did not begin to 
affect the minds of the people till 1799, when he died. 

Now as to the flood from the mouth of the dragon, some teachers 
think it is persecution, but it is not. Fire is a symbol of persecution, 
but water is a symbol of a multitude. The sea is a symbol of the rest¬ 
less, discontented multitudes, and a flood is a symbol of an occur¬ 
rence when the sea, that is the restless, discontented multitude, is pre¬ 
cipitated on the existing order of things: carrying away everything 
which opposes it, engulfing the mountains, that is, the kingdoms; 
rending the rocks, that is, the unions and leagues; overflowing the 
caverns and dens, that is, the secret societies; overflowing the earth, 
that is, the common people, disregarding their rights; and in its 
devastation varying according to the intensity of the flood. Such a 
flood was the French revolution; and we are going to prove that the 
French Revolution was “the flood from the mouth of the dragon.” 
The Revelation says that the flood came from the mouth of the dragon. 
The mouth of the dragon is the source of all his false teaching and 
his blasphemous pretentions. And inasmuch as the flood came out 
of his mouth, even so was the French Revolution the very result of 
the papacy’s false teaching. To many this may seem inconsistent, 
but it is reasonable. When papacy’s iniquity had come to the full, 
when her sins had reached to heaven and it had become time for the 
Lord to be avenged, even at that time, the intelligent men of France 
realized that the claims of the papacy were false, that the clergy were 
false teachers and that the Roman Catholic church was rotten to the 
core. Therefore there came out at that time a great deal of infidel 
writings and a great deal of opposition to the church. But in reject¬ 
ing the ppacy they also rejected pure Christianity. Not being able 
to distinguish between the true and the false they rejected the very 
foundation of true religion. Every form of religion was lost. Bibles 
were burnt; the clergy were murdered; and for three and one-half 
years there was a reign of terror, during which time our Lord was 
crucified figuratively, so that Christianity came near being carried 
off in the flood. “But the earth helped the woman.” The earth is 
human society. And as the mouth has a twofold office, namely, to 
give out and take in, even so the people of Europe opened the mouths 
of their understanding and drank in the flood of anarchy and infidel¬ 
ity which had flooded France. And as the society of the surrounding 
nations began to absorb the infidelity and anarchy, the flood in France 
began to be gradually reduced. 

And since then nowhere in Europe do princes fall down on their 
faces in the presence of the papal nuncios, neither do the kings bow 
the knee before the pope, nor the ministers salute him as the Lion 
of th Tribe of Judah and the Root of David, nor are emperors in 
jeopardy for their crowns because of the pope. Nowhere do we hear 
of such expressions to kings as “your most sacred majesty;” and gen- 


98 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. IV. 

erally the divine right of kings has fallen into disrepute. Thus the 
flood was gradually dried up and the Woman was saved. And the 
dragon, who in that revolution had discarded the garb of popery, or 
religion, and did put on the garb of open infidelity, has gone forth in 
this his new style to make war with the remnant of the woman’s seed 
which keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus 
Christ, namely, the last members of the Church of Christ during the 
time of the end.—A. Raleigh.” 

That the Woman fled into the wilderness sometime after the rise 
of the Two Witnesses, and reappeared again sometime after the death 
state of the Two Witnesses in France, is undoubtedly true. It looks 
reasonable that her total disappearance from public view could not 
have taken place until religious liberty and so-called Arianism were 
quite extinguished in Spain and Northern Italy, A. D. 586-590. The 
preparations for her release began in 1795, but her full public appear¬ 
ance seems to have coincided with the great religious movements all 
over Christendom, especially Germany, England, Italy and the United 
States of America, from 1846 to 1849. So far we agree. However, 
that the possession of Rome was necessary for a religious government 
or priestcraft monarchy, and that the papal system (if so, I under¬ 
stand Brother Raleigh) could not obtain its great power without it, 
is not obvious. The time of the great oppression of the Two Witnesses 
was from 531 to 1791. One of the Two Witnesses, namely, the eccle¬ 
siastic, is not a political or secular power, but a spiritual. For exam¬ 
ple, when Avignon in France was the seat of the popes for a long time 
in the Middle Ages and when for sometime there were three rival 
popes, fighting one another, the pernicious system of the papacy was 
not weakened thereby. Further, as water is a symbol of multitudes, 
and floods are caused by water and great destruction is wrought some¬ 
times, so were the crusades against the Waldenses, etc. Otherwise 
Brother Raleigh’s comment is valuable and brings out many things 
to incite study. 

Many renowned theologians (as for ex. Dr. Schaff) say, 
“Where then was the Church of Christ in the mediaeval ages if not 
represented by the Roman Catholic church?” Nowadays many 
men announce that the Roman Catholic and all the different sects 
constitute the Church of Christ! So deep are some in darkness. 
Therefore the Revelation confounds them. Luther said that the 
Revelation was not in harmony with his way of thinking. Calvin 
did let that book alone, as if he were touching fire; and Zwingli 
excused himself in an argument by saying, “the Revelation was 
not positively recognized as a canonical book.” And who rejected 
it first? The “orthodox” synod in 360. And why was it also re¬ 
jected by the Reformers of the 16th century? Because they also 
did not accept the ten commandments and Christ’s sermon on the 


The Doctrine of the Trinity 


99 


mount unchanged. It was not the Jaw of faith (Rom. 3 :27-31) but 
“faith alone” without a full return to God’s commandments which 
was the principal doctrine of the Reformators of the 16th century; 
and thus they were blinded against the reasons why, when and how 
the Church of Christ fled into the desert; and they themselves 
helped the papacy to keep her there, pushed aside, and indeed 
would do it vet if they could. We spoke in chapter II, section 2, 
concerning the publicly evident development of the popedom from 
313 to 531, and that the strength of the papacy grew from its com¬ 
promise with the heathen. The sign of the true church is the hold¬ 
ing fast to the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, Rev. 
14:12. A mighty controversy arose in North Africa concerning 
this about the year 520, and immediately thereafter at Rome an¬ 
other, yet more vehement, between Novatian and bishop Cornelius, 
in which also the bishops of Antioch and Alexandria took part. 
Novatian maintained that purity and holiness in doctrine and acts 
were the marks of the true church, and that a church which suffers 
impure members to remain in her is not the true church. This was 
the view that was held by the so-called Donatists whom Augustine 
combatted, and the view of other so-called heretics in those days, 
for example that of Jovinian of Rome, whom modern church his¬ 
torians have called The first Protestant. 


Chapter V. 

Remarks on the Origin of the Doctrine of the Homoousion 
in the Trinity. 

Whereas in the foregoing interpretation two terms were used 
for the church, namely Church of Christ and Church of God, it is 
necessary to say that Christ was the agent of God in every dispensa¬ 
tion of God’s grace. The same Spirit of Christ was working among 
men from the beginning. Every church that existed before the 
present was founded through the same Spirit of God that was in 
Christ whom the Father sent, and will send once more, that by him 
He should restore all things unto Him, Acts 3 :21; 1 Cor. 15:24-28 
etc. So the Church is of God and not after the will of men; and 
what is bound and loosed cannot be after the will of men, but ac¬ 
cording to the commandments of God. All power was given unto 
L.ofC. 



100 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. V. 

Christ of God, Matth. 28:18; Acts 2:36. Jesus said. Of myself I 
can do nothing, John 5:19. And God gave him the power, be¬ 
cause he sought not his own will, but the will of the Father which 
sent him, John 5:30, etc. In every true church that was before 
Christ’s advent there was working the same Spirit that was in 
Christ. Therefore all might be called Churches of Christ, and 
the most appropriate term for the present church, or the Woman in 
Eev. ch. 12, would be The Gospel Church. 

Notice, that among the old Hebrews it was custom to speak 
of the one sent as of the sender himself. Subordination and obedi¬ 
ence to elders and rulers were prominent characteristics of that pea- 
pie. Therefore we find in the Scripture very often a messenger 
speaking as though he were the one that sent him (see Gen. ch. 18, 
etc.), so that those “to whom the word of God came” (to deliver 
the same to man) were sometimes called Gods, see John 10:34-35. 
The name of God was often used in the Scripture for the angel or 
servant of God, as we might say, a representative of God. See Ex¬ 
odus 7:1, etc. It was the custom among the Hebrews and other 
Eastern nations to ascribe to the master what the servant did; be¬ 
cause the servant does the will of the master. So likewise and more 
does the son (applying this to Christ Jesus) the same things that 
he sees the Father do. We must remember that all the prophets 
and writers of the holy Scriptures were Hebrews, that principally 
they delivered their burdens to Hebrews and that therefore we 
should understand the traits and way of thinking of that people. 

Christ and the Father are one in purpose; namely Jesus was 
gladly obedient to the Father in all things. He left the glory 
which he had, and came and suffered to save the world; because it 
was the Father’s will that he should do so. He also prayed in be¬ 
half of his disciples, John 17:21, “As thou, Father, art in me 
and I in Thee, may they also be one in ITs.” Hence the doctrine 
of the Homoousion in the Trinity was not heard of until the 
coming-in of multitudes of Gentiles. The views of Greeks, and 
Romans were not exactly like those of the Aramaeans. The rela¬ 
tionship between servant and master and between son aiid father 
was not held to be so close among European nations as in the East. 
Entire subordination was never to the taste of the Japhetite race, 
and without a teacher they did not always understand correctly 
those passages in the Bible where messengers speak as representa¬ 
tives of God. In accordance therefore with their own views and 


101 


The Doctrine of the Trinity. 

way of speaking the people accepted readily the mysterious Roman 
doctrine of the Trinity, which those who set it up, could not un¬ 
derstand themselves and which is contrary to the word of God. 
The eternal God and Father has no beginning. But the Word was 
in the beginning. Christ is the beginning of the creation of God, 
Rev. 3:14, by whom and for whom all things were created, Col. 
1:16. He is called the Word also for this reason, because he was 
promised to redeem the world. And that promise was materialized 
and became flesh when God sent him into the world. And he also 
was called God, because God gave him power. For the word God 
in Hebrew means “A mighty one ” And all power, says Jesus, is 
given unto him. The Scripture says, “Hear, 0 Israel, our God is 
One;” and God says, “Beside Me there is no God.” Many were 
sent and spake in His Name and were therefore called Gods, but 
they only represented the One and true God, Who has no begin¬ 
ning. The Revelation says that Jesus Christ is the first and the 
last. He is the beginning of the creation of God, Rev. 3:14, and 
through him shall all things be brought back to God; and after 
this is accomplished, then shall he himself be the last one that shall 
become subject again to Him Who put all things under him. See 
1 Cor. 15 :22-28. It is because God did put all things under Christ 
that Christ is also called Almighty. Now the Roman Catholics con- 
fass that what is called Arianism was not original with Arius, but 
that already the Ebionites (the Hebrew Christians) did not hold 
the Roman Catholic doctrines of the Hoomousion.* 

Was not the primitive church right and Arius, when he said, 
"If Christ was in essence the true and indwelling wisdom of the 
Father, how then could it be written (Luke 2:52) that he grew in 
wisdom ? How could he ask, Where Lazarus had been laid ?” The 
prayers of Jesus to the Father show that at that time all things had 
not yet been put under him, that therefore he was then not yet 
almighty. Jesus also testified that not he, but only the Father, 
knew when the end of the present world should be and the time of 
his coming. The Father afterward instructed Jesus and gave him 
the Revelation, and had him to open the seals concerning the things 
that were to come, and to show them to His servants, Rev. 1:1. 
After his obedient suffering Jesus received from the Father all 

* See Algog’s (R. Cath.) Church History, Yol. I, part I, ep. 1, ch. 5. 
Neander, the Protestant D. D. and historian, also says that the doctrine 
of the Trinity cannot be proven by the Bible. 



102 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . V. 


power in heaven and on earth, and he shall possess the same, as 
Paul says, until through him all things shall have been reconciled 
to the father. Then shall the son also become subject again, and 
God shall be all in all. We therefore in calling Jesus God and 
Almighty, do it not in the same sense as we speak of the Father 
who alone is above all, and was the same forever. In the true 
sense there is but one God, and no man has seen God; but the Son 
declared Him unto us. Therefore the disciples saw God only in 
Jesus who represented God’s royal majesty, being the agent of God, 
sent into the world and standing in their midst. 

The adoption of the mysterious doctrine of the Homoousion 
conferred on Christ lawmaking power and confirmed the pagan 
notions and the inclination of the multitudes to worship saints and 
relics and to set themselves easily over the commandments of God 
through the authority of a church which claimed to have received 
of Christ power over God’s commandments. Jesus was obedient 
to the Father in all things. God called him His righteous servant, 
Isa. 53-11, and therefore did He exalt him, v. 12, and gave him a 
name which is above every name, Phili. 2:8-11. Jesus did not 
exalt himself. Though he was in the form of God, he did not 
think of robbery or usurpation to become equal with God, as Satan 
and his angels had done, Jude 6, but just the reverse; he made 
himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant 
and was obedient to God, even to the death on the cross. Instead 
of as the Homoousionists have translated that “he thought it * no 
robbery,” Paul said, “he did not meditate robbery.” The primitive 
Christians understood these words of Paul correctly. In Euseb. 
b. 5, ch. 2, we find an application of said passage in a letter written 
by the Christians of Gaul to them in Asia, A. D. 177, older than 
any now known manuscript or translation of the New Testament, 
which reads in the Greek original : They (the confessors) were so 
zealous in their imitation of Christ—who though in the form of 
God meditated not robbery to be equal with God—that though they 
were esteemed in the same light and had neither once nor twice, 
but frequently, endured martyrdom, and had again been taken 
away from the beasts to prison, and had brands and scars and 
wounds spread over them, they did not then proclaim themselves 
martyrs ... but if any of us, either by letter or in conversa- 


* IT is not in the original at all, but they supplied it. 



The Doctrine of the Trinity . 


103 


tion, called them Martyrs, they seriously reproved us. For they 
cheerfully yielded the title of Martyr to Christ, the true and faith¬ 
ful Martyr, the First-begotten from the dead, the Prince of divine 
life.” Therefore even as Christ did not deem himself worthy until 
God had exalted him even so they until, after the issue, they re¬ 
ceived a crown. Jesus is the mediator betwen God and man. To us 
he is as God, Emmanuel, God with us. And to God he stands in 
our place, representing us by his suffering and death on the cross. 

Moreover, that which was mysterious attracted the people 
more than the plain teaching of the Bible. They regarded with 
greater respect what they could not understand than that which 
was revealed. The words Trinity, Homoousion, One essence, Eter¬ 
nal God of the eternal God, are not found in the Bible but were 
fixed up by apostates in the beginning of the fourth century. Only 
the Father was from all eternity, He alone is the unsearchable and 
the incomprehensible God, the source of all life; but the Word 
(which is Christ) had a beginning and was with God until God 
sent him. And he was God, but not in that exalted sense as the 
Father. Sec Rev. 3:14: 1 Col. 1:15. There is no Homoousion of 
living beings such as in Geometry, or as we can draw on paper, 
however, we can be one in purpose and in mind. The passage now 
found in John concerning three witnesses being one is not found 
in the oldest manuscripts of the Hew Testament, but was first 
brought up by the papists in the sixth century. If it were Scrip¬ 
ture the Roman Catholics certainly would have made use of it 
long before. 

Christianity is a religion of revealed truth, but men went ac¬ 
cording to their inclinations and exalted pagan philosophy and a 
religion of fellings and speculations, and loved darkness rather 
than light. Neander in vol. iv, p. 83, says, “When the people heard 
from the pulpits that Christ was called God, and the Son of God, 
the Begotten before all times, they were led by their Christian 
feelings* to place in these words more than what was meant by the 
Arian preachers ; according to their own connection of ideas. Into 
them the people did not enter, and so Hilary remarked, that “the 

* The writer of this book knows Christian feelings and peace and 
joy in the Holy Ghost. But, is this a Christian feeling to add to the 
word of God? Neander, who said he could not prove the Homoousion 
from the Bible, and nevertheless accepted it, followed himself, Platonic 
philosophy and other human theories. 



104 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch.V. 

ears of the audience were more pious than the hearts of the preach¬ 
ers.” Accordingly, Neander further says, when afterward Homoou- 
sion preachers took the place of the Arians the people perceived no 
very great change. Thus we see the people loved mystery rather 
than what was revealed. It is so yet in our days. Not considering 
that only the faith and repentance which is followed by obedience 
will bring unto man the approval of God and peace and joy in the 
holy ghost, people will generally rather look for miraculous signs 
of acceptance with God than do the things which He commanded. 
Knox (an Episcopalian clergyman) says: “Any religion which 
comes to us pretending to be Divine and is not full of mystery, we 
may he sure is an imposture.”* But it is just reversed. Many things 
which are not necessary for our salvation are shrouded in mystery. 
So are to some extent also prophecies before they are fulfilled; and 
we are surrounded with works of God that are too deep for us to 
find out. But, thank God! it is not so concerning the things neces¬ 
sary for our salvation. 

The Scripture says, that the way of salvation is so plain that 
even the evil wayfarer shall not err therein. But the false church, 
at the council of Nice, set up that most* incomprehensible dogma 
of the Homoousion with the express declaration that faith therein 

* From Sacerdotalism, p. 146. Published by Longman’s, Green 
& Co., London, 1894. Did you ever see an Episcopalian church building 
without stained (that is, darkened) windows? Does not the Metho¬ 
dist Discipline in regard to Sunday keeping mention the words “buy¬ 
ing and selling?” Exactly the words of Rev. 13:17, which shows the 
trespass of both the papacy and Protestanism? Did not the members 
of the movement which aimed to enforce through Congress a stricter 
observance of the so-called “Christian Sabbath“ (Sunday) under the 
leadership of Blaine wear badges of scarlet ribbon at their great meet¬ 
ing in Washington? Is not scarlet the raiment of that woman that 
committed fornication with the kings of the earth and adopted their 
“legal” day and abolished the observance of the Lord’s day! of the 
Bible? Does not the number 666, which the pope wears on his triple 
crown, tell who he is, and also what the second beast represents? 
Men whose misdemeanors do not merit death and should therefore 
according to the law of God receive stripes and strokes on their bodies, 
and then be let loose to go and take care of their parents or families, 
wear streaks and stripes on their garments! Does not the state law 
show by this that God’s law is violated? etc. These things and signs, 
and many more, impress on our minds what the will of God is, and 
are not given us by mere chance. 



The Doctrine of the Trinity. 


105 


was of absolute necessity to obtain salvation, and that “whosoever 
would not believe in it should be damned.” Thus man’s salvation 
was to be dependent on a mystery! “Mystery, Babylon!” Rev. 
17:5. The city of abominations! Inasmuch as Neander said that 
Arius held fast to the as yet undeveloped doctrines of the first cen¬ 
turies” he stands on the same plane with the Roman Catholics. 
Both Protestants and Roman Catholics teach that the kingdom of 
God is already visible on the earth; both hold to human traditions 
and both have taught that the doctrines of the apostles, as held by 
the church at Jerusalem, were imperfect and had to be improved 
(Mystified?\) ; and at present many have gone after so-called 
Higher criticisms, that are ludicrous. The Trinitarians who call 
themselves Orthodox, were always obliged to have recourse to dark 
sayings and speculative reasoning; because the Homoousion can¬ 
not be proved from the Scripture. 

Eusebius of Caesarea, bishop and historian, by his actions at 
the council of Nice and a letter of his written before, gives us ad¬ 
ditional proof of the faith of the primitive Christians by whom he 
was brought up, namely, that Christ was the first-begotten of God, 
that he came into existence before the temporal system, and that 
under the Father he was the Creator of all other things. He at first 
openly sympathized with Arius and declined to draw up the new 
creed in the words proposed by the Trinitarians, namely that Christ 
was Very God of very God, of one substance with the Father. 
Probably it was for the reason of retaining his bishopric and the 
favor of Constantine that he afterward subscribed to.it.* 


* Eusebius was by many accused of being greedy after wroldly 
honor and of being double-tongued and an Arian at heart. See Vale- 
sius’ Annotations on his Life and Writings. That Eusebius did wrong 
in giving Constantine credit of having been a Christian already in 
313 is proven by a host of historians by the letter of Maximin (Augus¬ 
tus) to Constantine, and yet, in 321, by Constantine’s heathen Sunday 
edict and his worshipping Appollo and by his murdering his own wife 
and his noble son Crispus, etc. Many of Eusebius’ contemporaries 
persisted in saying that he was at heart an Arian. The very fact of 
Eusebius’ being at first an Arian in accordance with the faith of the 
early communities in Palestine shows what an innovation the doc¬ 
trine of the Homoousion was, and that Eusebius was not taught that 
doctrine in his youth, knowing all the writings of Hegesippus, the first 
of all church historians. Eusebius did a great wrong in passing in 
silence over them in regard to doctrinal matters the same as also the 
writings of many others, and in presenting to us almost only the per- 



106 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . V. 

At the council of Nice the Trinitarian party had on its side the 
powerful favor of the emperor, who, because of his pagan notions 
(concerning which we spoke in Ch. II) pressed himself the adoption 
of the new doctrine. Why attack the immorality of Roman priests ? 
It is no use. The Romanists themselves preach against abuses. 
But go and attack the false doctrines, the doctrine of the Homoou- 
sion, the authority of the papal church, etc. 

The Church which the Father established through Christ, while 
he was on earth, is that beloved, the fairest of women, of whom the 
Song of Solomon is a prophecy. It was she who toiled in the heat 
of the fierce Roman sun, the terrible persecutions of that paganism, 
which was the religion of the Roman empire. And she was stricken 
and afflicted in the martyrdoms of her children, as it is written: 
“Look not upon me because 1 am black, because the sun has looked 
upon me/’ Of her it is written that her mother’s children were 
angry with her: “They made me the keeper of the vineyards; f 
but mine own vineyard have I not keptf Her mother was the 
church that preceded her under the old dispensation. Persecuted, 
not only by paganism, but also—and even first—by her mother’s 
children, that is the Jewish priests to whom the Lord had given the 
care of His vineyard (but they trod it down with their feet and 
rejected Christ) ; she came in their place and occupied and brought 
forth the first fruits unto the Lord for His kingdom (Rev. 14:4), 
the 144,000 who shall be kings and priests unto God (Rev. 5:10; 
20:6), and shall sit upon thrones in the time of the regeneration 
(Matth. 19:28) and reign upon earth, as it is written. And after 
she had brought forth these her first fruits in the days of Roman 
paganism, then she was persecuted by the rising papacy. And in 
her distress she cried: “Tell me, O Thou Whom my soul loveth, 

secutions, martyrdoms and the succession of church dignitaries. 
Eusebius Eccl. History is but the first (i. e., the earliest) of Roman 
Catholic Church histories. Justin and also Irenaeus did not believe 
that Jesus was Very God, in the extreme sense, else they^ would not 
have written of Christ as they did, namely, “I would not even believe 
the Lord himself , if he were to announce . . .” See Irenaeus’ 
fourth book against heresies. 

t Made her to keep the vineyards; because they would not culti¬ 
vate the Lord’s vineyards, and she saw that it must be done by her. 

J She did not attend to her own things and her ease in this world, 
but the things of God, 1 Cor. 7:29-34. The ministers in the primitive 
church did not work for salaries. 



The Temple of God and the Holy City: Rev . / /:/, Z. 107 


where Thou feedest (Thy flock) ? Where lettest Thou Thy flock 
rest at noon ? for why should I appear like a veiled mourner by the 
flocks of Thy companions?” The answer was: "If thou knowest 
this not, 0 thou fairest of women! go but forth in the footsteps 
of the flock and feed thy kids around the shepherd’s dwellings.” 
Thus she fled into the mountains and lonely valleys. In those days 
the world then saw no more the fair woman, the pure Gospel Church 
in her beautiful white garment. She could not compromise with 
the world and become a veiled stranger and unclean harlot in the 
sight of God. She retained her purity. Therefore she fled into 
the wilderness, into the valleys of the shepherds, away from the 
world. But in her place stood up the false church, that woman 
wliich committed fornication with the kings of the earth. The im¬ 
pure church and the political power, these two, state and church, 
were the two witnesses of Rev. 11:3, that entered into union with 
one another and tormented the earth during the Dark Ages. They 
were clothed in sackcloth of uncleanliness in which the Church of 
God never appeared. They trod upon the law of God as tyrants 
and oppressed the earth until the end of the 18th century.. 


Chapter VI. 

The Temple of God and the Holy City. 

Rev. 11:1-2. 

Rev. 11 :l-2 reads: “And there was given me a reed , like unto 
a rod; and the angel stood, saying , Rise and measure the temple of 
God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court 
which is without the temple leave out , and measure it not; for it is 
given unto the Gentiles; and the holy city shall they tread under 
foot forty and two months ” 

After the interpretation of chapter 12 it is easier to understand 
the above verses. Purposely for this reason were they left out of 
Ch. II, § 4, The interpetation of the fifth verse of Rev. ch. 12, was 
shown that the term Temple of God has in the prophecy of the 
Apocalypse a different meaning than that in which the apostle Paul 
has used it in his epistles. 

Some think that the city spoken of in these verses is the earthly 
Jerusalem; because "it shall be the citv of the great king.” But 
the earthly Jerusalem is not yet the city of the great king, namely 



108 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch . VI. 

Christ. It is yet downtrodden to this day, although the 1,260 days, 
or forty-two months , during which “the holy city” should be down¬ 
trodden , are in the past. The above mentioned holy city is there¬ 
fore not the earthly Jerusalem, but it is a spiritual city which was 
to be trodden under foot only 1,260 prophetic days. We have shown 
by plain historical facts that the power of the false churches to de¬ 
stroy God’s people through the arm of the political powers is ended, 
and that the Church of God is no longer hidden in the wilderness; 
and we say again, that the earthly Jerusalem is still trodden down 
of the Gentiles at this day, which shows that the times of the Gen¬ 
tiles are not fulfilled yet. In Matth. 24 Jesus therefore spoke of 
the earthly, but Rev. 11:2 speaks of the spiritual Jerusalem. 

Not only is the earthly Jerusalem at present not a holy city, 
nor was it at the time when John received this prophecy, but, if we 
study other parts of the Revelation, we find that it is the great host 
of the bride company that is gathered out of all nations which con¬ 
stitutes the holy city of Rev. ch. 11. So is also the Temple in the 
above passages not a material, but a spiritual temple. If we con¬ 
sider Rev. 12:5, Rev. 3:12, the fifth seal (Rev. 6:9-11) and Rev. 
ch 7 we are bound to see that the temple of God in Rev. 11 :l-2 sym¬ 
bolizes the body of the 144,000 elect, the members of the manchild 
or bridegroom, the spiritual malebody of Christ which is from the 
circumcision or seed of Abraham, both after the flesh and after the 
spirit, and whereof Jesus is the head. This “male son” (literal 
from the Greek of Rev. 12:5) was caught up to the throne of God 
(Rev. 12:5; Rev. 7:4) during the early days of the Gospel Church 
(before the Edict of Toleration was given, namely 218 years be¬ 
fore the two witnesses in sackcloth commenced to have absolute 
power to torment the earth). This we have shown to some-extent in 
the last chapter; out additional testimony will be brought out 
further on, especially in the exegesis of the first five seals, Rev. ch. 6. 

In the days of pagan Rome, the days of the great tribulations 
of the church, Christ “as a refiner of silver,” gathered from the 
house of Israel his elect that kept all his Father’s commandments 
(Mai. 4:4). He gathered them from all the nations among whom 
they were scattered. This is evident when we read Mai. 3 :3 and 
Rom. 15:8-13, etc., and compaYe these passages with Rev. 2:9 and 
Rev. 3:9, and with the fifth seal and with Rev. ch. 7, and with the 
interpretations of these prophecies in Chapters II, IV, IX, X and XI. 
The temple of God and the full number of them that worship God 


The Temple of God and the Holy City: Rev. 11:1,2. 109 

therein was finished “and caught up to God and to His throne” 
when the fifth seal was ended, 313. And 218 years thereafter the 
spiritual Jerusalem commenced to be trodden down. The end of 
the 1,200 years of the treading down of the people of God, the spir¬ 
itual Jerusalem, falls in 1791. The earthly Jerusalem, however, 
has been trodden down more than 1,800 years already, and is still 
in the same condition. Jesus said that after the destruction of 
Jerusalem and the great distress in the land* the people should be 
led away into all nations, and that Jerusalem should be trodden 
down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles shall be ful¬ 
filled. The kingdom of Israel, with Christ as king, and Jerusalem 
the great capital of the earth, according to prophecy, is not yet 
set up. Therefore the earthly Jerusalem cannot be the holy city 
of Rev. 11:2. 

The holy city spoken of in Rev. ch. 11 is that spiritual city 
which is composed of the members of the great bride company, the 
innumerable host of the redeemed that have washed their robes in 
the blood of the Lamb. They were not downtrodden longer than 
during the reign of the two cruel witnesses; neither were they 
overcome before the reign of the two witnesses. When the great 
power of the two witnesses was ended, the Church of God came out 
of the wilderness and appeared again publicly; and ever since the 
tyranny of Babylon has been sinking. If this was not true, the 
world also would not have seen this book; and the writer would 
have been killed long ago by the powers of State and Church, ac¬ 
cording to the authority they used to have. There are two special 
elections. The first is represented as The Bridegroom or Son, and 
also as the Temple of God, and its members, or pillars, were taken 
from the Circumcision, from the dispersed of Israel during the 
first three hundred years. The second election is from all nations, 
both Jew and Gentile, and is symbolized as the Bride' and the 
Holy City. But Babylon is the assembly of the false and apostate, 
and of those also who are deceived and let themselves be deceived. 

As to the time of the two elections, we repeat, that the build¬ 
ing of the Temple of God, or, the gathering of the members of 

* This refers not only to the fall of Jerusalem and the deportation 
of Judah and Benjamin into the South of Europe, but also to the rebel¬ 
lion of the ten tribes sixty years thereafter in the so-called Galilean 
war. 



110 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. VI. 

Ihe Bridegroom, or Male body of Christ, was finished already 
under the fifth seal, long before the two witnesses began to reign 
with rigor; and we declare that it was precisely because of the fact 
that this Temple had been finished before the reign of the Wit¬ 
nesses commenced, that John was enabled to measure it and them 
that worship therein before he saw the Two Witnesses; indeed, he 
already had seen the number in the vision of ch. 7. All the pillars 
and all that is pertaining to the Temple was complete; the 144,000 
had been gathered around the throne of God and. were seated 218 
years before the papacy reached its terrible power. But the holy 
city which is described (in Rev. ch. 21:2) as a bride adorned for 
her husband, and shall descend from God after the millenium, was 
at that time yet far from being completed; only a part was gath¬ 
ered. John, therefore, could not measure it. Nay, it will not be 
completed until the time of the marriage of the Lamb has come 
(immediately before Christ’s second advent). 

Therefore at the commencement of Rev. ch. 11 the facts are 
shown as they were just at the time when the seventh seal was 
opened and the two tyrant witnesses (state and impure 
church) began to arise (A. D. 531) namely: that the temple had 
already been completed and was therefore measured by John; sec¬ 
ond, that the court of the Gentiles was defiled by the introduction 
and practice of their idolatrous doctrines and merchandise, that it 
was not acceptable, but was discarded as unclean in the sight of 
God and therefore was not to be measured and written up; third, 
that the nominal Christians or “Gentiles” (so-called because of 
their worldliness and false doctrines) did persecute the true 
Christians, that is, they trod the bridecompany, or city of God, 
under foot 1,260 common j^ears; and fourth, that it was impossible 
to measure the holy city, because it was not finished when the two 
witnesses arose. The gathering of the bridecompany, which con¬ 
stitutes the holy city, is probably not yet ended, even at the present 
day.* 


♦ We will here state that it is certain that all the members of 
the bride must be gathered previous to Christ’s second advent, because 
the marriage of the Lamb, which ends the gathering, precedes the 
coming of Christ according to the parable of the Marriage Supper and 
the Ten Virgins, and according to Rev. ch. 19. Matt. 13:41, 
and Matt. 25:31, undoubtedly relate to the time when the mil¬ 
lennial reign is passed, when Christ gathers His elect that shall already 



The Temple of God and the Holy City: Rev. 11:1>2. Ill 

Concerning the 144,000, Jesus says in Rev. 3:12 : “Him that 
overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he 
shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of the 
city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out 
of heaven from my God, and my new name” Thus while this 
spiritual temple in which the Lord dwells was finished (around 
the throne of God) the city was not. Therefore nothing is said in 
the Revelation concerning the measure thereof until we come to the 
vision in ch. 21, the vision concerning the end of the times of resti¬ 
tution and the appearing of a new heaven and a new earth.t ‘But 
as it is said in Rev. ch. 13 that the heast (the ferocious power of 
the papacy) should overcome the saints and should continue forty- 
two months, so was it stated in ch. 11 that the Gentiles should tread 
the holy city of God under foot forty-two months. The two 
periods are of the same length, but the reappearance of the true 
church was not publicly noticed until somewhat later. 

Whether the 144,000 alone constitute the armies that shall 
descend with Christ according to Rev. .19:11 and 12, is not re¬ 
vealed. But this is revealed: That they shall reign on the earth a 
thousand years before the general resurrection. This millennial 
reign shall be a time of peace and blessing on them that obey the 
law of God, but a time of trouble on the ungodly (see Ps. 2; Ps. 
149; Micah 4). The millennial reign is only the beginning of 
the times of the regeneration, which yet continue after the resur¬ 
rection and are spoken of by Christ, and also by Peter in Acts 


have reigned during the millennium; in order that they also should 
judge with Him (I Cor. 6:2). Undoubtedly there is an interval, namely, 
the millennium and the rebellion of Gog, Rev. ch. 20, between 
Christ’s return and the great judgment day. God informed Jesus 
furthermore concerning this after his ascension by giving him the 
book with the seven seals, for him to open. See Matt. 24:36; Acts 
1:6,7; Rev.l:l. And Jesus said that his disciples shall even do 
greater works than he, because he went to the Father, John, 14:12. 
But the antinomian doctrine of the Homoousion which makes Christ 
the same as the Father throws the Scripture into confusion, and 
teaches that Christ knew all things like the Father. 

f To God are known all things from the beginning. But He does 
all things in order. If the number of the members of the bride- 
company had been given in this place, which referred to a time before 
it was full, it would only have mystified this prophecy. Therefore 
even to us the members of the Holy City are yet “innumerable.” 



112 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. VI. 

3:19-26, saying: “Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your 
sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing shall come 
from the presence of the Lord. And He shall send Jesus Christ 
which before was preached unto you; whom heaven must receive 
until the times of the restitution of all things which God hath 
spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world 
began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the 
Lord }^our God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; 
him ye shall hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 
And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that 
prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all 
the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as 
have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the 
children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with 
our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the fam¬ 
ilies of the earth be blessed. Unto you first, God, having raised up 
His son Jesus, sent him to bless you in turning away every one 
from his iniquities.” 

Thus Peter admonished the Hebrews, from whom God- chose 
the 144,000 elect. Paul says, God is the Savior of all men, espe¬ 
cially them which believe. Paul therefore, in the above passage, 
spoke also of the special election out of the seed of Abraham by 
which all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Those that 
did not take hold of their opportunity at that time (up to 313) 
were cut off from this first election. See also Rom. 11:7.—Now, 
reader, take hold of your opportunity at present of becoming a 
member of the second election, namely the bridecompany! The 
acceptable time for entering into the holy city, or in other words, 
the time for the gathering of the bridal host, is very probably not 
yet ended. But indeed, it will soon be. Before Jesus shall return 
to reign on the earth the marriage of the Lamb will be consum¬ 
mated and the door into the holy city will be shut. Will you, 0 
reader, neglect to enter? Will you wait till the door is shut? 
For when it is shut you cannot enter any more. If you miss being 
cleansed now and receiving your white garment, you will have to 
pay the last ‘farthing of your debt. You will be naked and cannot 
rise higher than Adam’s first estate. There will be a righteous 
judgment, a time of restitution and great tribulation on the unjust 
in the presence of the Lamb and the holy angels, Rev. 14:10. The 
recompense of your sins will then not be omitted. No matter which 


The Two Beasts of Rev. Ch. 13. 


113 


way at the present you may choose, the time will come when God 
will have righteousness to prevail. Therefore it is written: He 
that is unjust, let him be unjust still. 

Some may yet say. Why should the saints during the 1,260 years 
be called the Holy City, when in fact they are only a part of it? 
Answer: This is quite natural, for they were those members of it 
that constituted it on the earth during the Dark Ages. As we, for 
example, call it the school, although not all that belong to it are in the 
room present, so it is here. We say the Jews were conquered by the 
Romans, although not all the Jews, but only those that lived at that 
time, were conquered by the Romans of that time. Such objections 
would not be made in regard to worldly matters. In respect to the 
word of God, however, many people seem not to exercise their common 
sense. He that earnestly desires to do the will of God, shall under¬ 
stand prophecy. But none of the wicked shall understand. 

Concerning the building of the city of God, David said, Ps. 87, 
Glorious things are spoken of thee. Oh city of God. Selah. I will 
make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me; behold 
Philistia, and Tyre, with Aethiopia, this man was born there. And 
of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her; and 
that the Highest Himself shall establish her. The Lord shall count 
when He writeth up the people, that this man was born there. 
Selah.—This prophecy, like others, shows that the material for 
the building of the holy city is contributed from all nations. 

But the building of the Temple pertained to the house of 
Israel, or the Circumcision, alone; yet not to all, but only to the 
144,000. For as those that could not legitimate themselves in the 
days of Ezra, or as David because he had shed innocent blood, were 
not allowed to build to the Name of the Lord an earthly temple 
(of wood and stone) so, and much less, could any have been ac¬ 
cepted for the spiritual temple but those only that were undefiled 
(the 144,000). 


* Chapter VII. 

The Two Beasts of the Thirteenth Chapter of Revelation. 

Prologue : All the so-called Protestant sects seem to agree in 
the belief, which is right, that the Roman papacy is the first beast 
spoken of in the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation; but none of 
them did yet understand what the second beast is. 



114 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. VII. 

Seventh Day Adventists erroneously teach that the second 
beast is not only not yet come, but that it must arise in a new 
country, and that the United States of America will be that 
country. 

John saw the first beast rise out of the Sea (v. 1); but the sec¬ 
ond he saw coming out of the Earth (v. 11). In Ch. II of this 
book it is fully proven, that in symbolic language the Earth stands 
for the quiet, common people; that the Sea denotes unruly people, 
and nations disturbed by the winds of revolutions and wars; that 
Heaven denotes the seat of the ruling powers, etc. 

The symbols used in the word of God do not mean one thing in 
one place and something else in another. But notice, that by saying 
the word of God we do not include, for example, just every word that 
the Apostle Paul wrote in his letters to different communities, but 
only the prophetic word, namely, the revelations given by the Spirit 
of God. Paul himself told the Corinthians that he was not always 
writing by inspiration. But some teachers, who are averse to this 
declaration, go even as far as to pervert that which is unquestionably 
the word of God. They not only isolate certain verses from passages 
which refer all to the same matter, but even dissect sentences to suit 
their theories. So they do also in this chapter. Thus, while they 
have given the word Sea in this prophecy its true figurative mean¬ 
ing of "restless, discontented peoples,” they take the word Earth 
(used in the same vision) not in the figurative sense, as is consistent, 
but want to understand it according to the letter, and to make us 
believe that it denotes the continent of America. Again, they say in 
accordance with the truth, that the first beast, which has seven heads 
and ten horns, is the papacy, and that its ten horns denote its power 
over all the kingdoms of the nations that took to themselves the ter¬ 
ritories of the old Roman empire and gave help and homage to the 
papacy during the Dark Ages. But as to the second, or two-horned 
beast, they say it represents the United States of America, and that 
the two horns are the civil government and the papacy which, in the 
near future (they say) would go hand in hand in said country after 
the well-known fashion of the Dark Ages. But now—whereas we know 
that the first beast represents a religious system, and that the ten 
horns represent the political powers which had become subservient to 
it, we certainly can prove that the second beast is also of a religious 
kind, and that the two horns are political powers (plural) which 
it had in its service. 

Just lately some who think the second beast represents the 
United States, have advanced the idea that the two horns of the 
second beast are two of the doctrines of our Lord Jesus Christ, namely, 
liberty of conscience and equality of men; that these have* pre-emi¬ 
nently characterized the United States of America, and are two of the 


The Two Beasts of Rev. Ch. 13. 


115 


Seven horns which, as Revelation says, the Lamb has; and of the 
same nature.—Are equal rights of men and religious liberties 
not blessings at present for mankind under the present governments? 
And have we not proven in Ch. II and Ch. Ill, by prophecy, 
that it is impossible for the United States, nor any other country, to 
retrograde in respect of abrogating men’s liberties? But the second 
beast is no blessing. We shall show you, dear reader, that the second 
beast has been here already a long time, that it spake as a dragon and 
caused fire to fall on the earth and persecuted the saints like the 
first beast had done. The two-horned beast, we shall prove it, has 
already had its way of power, when it never did allow men to have 
equal rights and liberty of conscience, but destroyed them. 

We declare here in brief, that The Sectarian Churches—the 
Greek and Western Protestant Churches together—Constitute The 
Second Beast; and we shall fully prove this allegation. 

The first beast “rose out of the sea” (v. 1), that is, the public 
arising of the popedom took place in the troublous times between 
313 and 531 when the great controversies between Arians and 
Trinitarians shook all Christendom, and when the Roman empire 
began to fall and did fall into the hands of the northern nations. 
Furthermore, the first beast, that is the papacy, did not gain its 
great power by any Christian virtue, but by aggressiveness and 
through imperial favors and decrees (already from the time of 
Constantine), and finally it obtained its great strength through 
the overthrow of the three Arian horns. But the second beast rose 
“out of the earth” (v. 11) ; for it made its appearance among quiet 
and humble people in a time when those great controversies con¬ 
cerning the one and only true God and the unalrerability of His 
law were hushed, when the streams of blood, which those contro¬ 
versies brought forth, were dried up, and even their existence had 
been forgotten by the common people. The second beast also was, 
like the first, a religious power, and was received with great favor 
because of its meek and docile appearance and its claim of follow¬ 
ing only the word of God, and not the doctrines and traditions of 
men. Very soon, however, aside from forgotten truths, it did not 
prove even as much as its first appearance had promised. The 
hopes and wishes that so often had been expressed at the great 
church councils were not fulfilled, and there was no end of con¬ 
fusion and misery. Also in every other respect was the prophecy 
concerning the second beast fulfilled. It did not rise in an epoch 
of revolutionary terrors as that was when the first beast came forth. 
In those years when the Reformation started in Germany and 


116 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. VII. 

Switzerland, there was not even one small kingdom overturned. 
But the first beast arose out of the sea of the tumultuous nations 
that overthrew the Roman empire. Also great and awful commo¬ 
tions occurred just before and after the middle of the ninth cen¬ 
tury (chiefest of them the rise of Mohammedanism, the crusades, 
the establishment of the Ottoman-Turkish empire and the fall of 
Constantinople) ; therefore it is wonderful that just about A. D. 
850, in the days of the separation of the Greek church which is 
one of the first daughters of the apostate (Roman) church, there 
was an unusual calm throughout all the kingdoms of the Christian 
and Mohammedan world; and also, that just in the two first decen¬ 
naries of the sixteenth century (just before the reign of Sultan 
Soliman) when the birth of the entire body of the second beast 
was about completed, the wondering eyes of all Europe could look 
almost without distraction, upon a new world which but lately 
had beeen discovered by Columbus. In those days there were no 
political disturbances of any significance. Scarcely worth of 
notice are the jealousies between Francis and Charies V which oc¬ 
casioned a war that was fought chiefly by Swiss who were hired by 
both parties. But this war had not yet commenced when Luther 
first became aroused over some of the false doctrines and preten¬ 
sions of Romanism. The forepart of the second beast, the Eastern 
division of the Secession from Rome, the so-called Greek churches, 
came up first; and then appeared its hindpart, the Western (so- 
called Protestant churches). The whole body of secession was 
hatched in the earth and came out of the earth; for both parts 
arose in times of peace among humble and quiet men. The earth 
is the Scriptural symbol for peaceable and undisturbed people. 
There was no apparent sign of ferocity about the second beast 
when it first came up, whether about 850 when the first part (the 
Greek schism) arose, nor early in the sixteenth century when 
Luther and Zwingli first began to preach. Before this the horns 
of the young beast were not yet grown. No oppression worth no* 
tice had as yet showed itself in the Greek church. But now, after 
the hindpart of its body had completely emerged out of the earth, 
the two horns began to grow quickly and became great; and the 
voice of the beast was like the voice of a dragon, and it shook the 
earth 

The Reformers had at first not been covetous after power from 
worldly governments. They had become aroused in their monastic 


The Two Beasts of Rev . Ch. 13. 


117 


cells from reading the Scripture, and they denounced the errors of 
Rome. Soon, however, they forgot their first love and walked 
no longer in the patience and long suffering of saints. Soon they 
halted in searching only after truth. They became ambitious of 
worldly honor, and turned back again toward Rome and her mer¬ 
chandise. They began to mix themselves up with the powers of 
state as the papacy had done. They started new churches in the 
image and after the pattern of the papal church, and caused great 
noise and confusion. The Greek church (although she appeared 
first ) showed her worst character also just at the same time with 
the Protestant churches in the West. A great tyranny arose in the 
reign of Iwan the Terrible by which the people were robbed also of 
their common rights and made serfs and appendages to the estates 
of the nobility. Thus the second beast manifested its ferocity after 
its whole body had appeared, namely after the Western or so-called 
Protestant part had also come up. Only shortly before that time 
the Russian clergy had become independent from the patriarchate 
of Constantinople. 

When Luther first raised his voice, when as yet he had only 
attacked papal errors and had not yet set up his cathechism and 
did not yet desire help from secular governments, the popedom was 
shaken to its very foundation. It received a deadly wound through 
the sword of the Spirit, the preaching of the word of God. The 
Reformers had divine authority to wield the sword of the Spirit. 
Very soon, however, they adopted popish tactics; they sought au¬ 
thority from the worldly governments and enforced manmade 
doctrines. They set up in their creeds many of the false and blas¬ 
phemous doctrines of the first beast; and they began themselves to 
persecute one another. Thereby the Reformation was hemmed. 
Strength was again imparted to the first beast, and that deadly 
wound which it had received through the preaching of God's word 
was healed by the offensive doings of the second, as prophecy had 
foretold in v. 12: “And he (that is the two-horned beast) “exer- 
cisetli all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the 
earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast whose 
deadly wound was healed ” The Earth is the common people, and 
“they that dwell therein" are the great men among them. Many 
countries which were just on the verge of joining the Reformation 
commenced again to uphold the papacy with new vigor, seeing the 
persecutions and quarrels and the tyranny carried on by the new 


118 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . VII. 

churches in those days. Macauley, the historian, says, “As Protest¬ 
antism had driven Catholicism to the Alps and Pyrenees, so Cath¬ 
olicism rallied and drove back Protestantism even to the German 
ocean; nor has Protestantism in the course of 200 years (now soon 
300) been able to conquer any portion of what was then lost.” 
Often Protestants became more intolerant than the Roman Cath¬ 
olics. For example, the colony of Lord Baltimore in Maryland 
granted liberty to all denominations alike; but the so-called Pur¬ 
itans of New England drove the Quakers away and did not allow 
Roman Catholics to vote, etc. 

The second beast will not rise } r et in the United States of 
America; for it is already risen. According to prophecy the 
United States are a part of the ten horns. The ten horns have con¬ 
tinually grown and stretched themselves out over more territory 
in like proportion as in ancient times every successive universal 
dominion was larger in proportion as the knowledge of the true 
God was further and further disseminated over the earth. As the 
Roman empire was larger than all the preceding ones had been, 
so is now the territory belonging to the ten horns larger than the 
Roman empire was, and is still spreading in China and Africa 
over the footsteps of the missionaries. If we turn to History and 
compare the first two verses of this chapter (Rev. 13) with the 
seventh chapter of Daniel which speaks of the great kingdoms of 
this earth, we understand that it was in fulfilment of those proph¬ 
ecies that America came into the possession of the ten horns, or 
the same powers which had obtained the territory of the Roman 
empire. Of those old powers that colonized America there were 
chiefly these: the Yisigothic (Spanish), the Saxon (English), the 
Suevish (Portuguese), and the Frankish (French) ; and the de¬ 
scendants of those nations possess America to this day. The ten 
horns with the new governments that sprang from them on their 
colonies are to remain until the second coming of Christ. Then 
shall they be broken by that stone which the prophecy of Daniel 
spoke of, which is Christ. America came in possession of the ten 
horns. It was colonized and peopled by them, and is now possessed 
by their descendants who still maintain the laws, the sectarian doc¬ 
trines, the social customs, and manners of Europe. Also, if we 
look upon Australia, Africa and Asia, and the islands of the 
Pacific, we are bound to see that as soon as any country is nom¬ 
inally christianized, it will fall into the power of the ten horns, 


The Two Beasts of Rev. Ch. 13 


119 


descendant governments of the nations that took possession of the 
Roman empire. Of these the Anglo-Saxons possess England and 
her colonies, the Visigoths and Suevi possess Spain and Portugal 
and their colonies, the Franks possess France and her colonies, and 
descendants of the Varangian Northmen (who once were the ter¬ 
ror of Western Europe) became the chief nobles and rulers of the 
Slavonian peoples of Russia. However, the Slavonians themselves 
having constituted a part of the armies of the Huns, had also a 
share in the destruction of the Roman empire, etc. As to Japan, 
which some think is going to be an exception, it is the writer’s 
opinion that it will range itself as an ally of the Anglo-Saxon, 
England and United States of America. 

The said nations still continue to conquer new countries as fast 
as new countries become christianized, and shall rule them until the 
second coming of Christ. All must admit that since the fall of Rome 
Christians and Jews have no longer been under one (universal) gov¬ 
ernment, or figurative heaven, but under many, and that the prophecy 
of Daniel, which 590 years before Christ foretold the rule of the 
universal dominions of Persia, Greece and then Rome at the last, 
proved true. (We repeat that those dominions were universal be¬ 
cause they ruled over all of God’s people, as far as in those times they 
had become scattered.) When the priests at Jerusalem showed Alex¬ 
ander the book of Daniel, chapter 8:3-7, wherein his conquest of the 
Persian empire was foretold, he was so carried away with astonish¬ 
ment that he allowed all the Jewish people in his wide dominion, 
and even those of them that desired to enlist in his army, the unen¬ 
cumbered exercise of all their religious usages. 

The ancient Roman empire is at this date occupied by Turkey, 
Greece, Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Prance, England, Germany and 
Russia. Russia has already swallowed up many eastern provinces 
and will probably get the rest. Turkey was not one of the original 
horns; it was the Byzantine, and it is no longer independent, but holds 
its own only by the suffrage of other powers, chiefly Russia and 
England. Russia appeared last. Not before near the end of the 
eighteenth century (co-incident with the rise of the United States of 
America and the retrogression of Turkey) it began to cross the north¬ 
eastern boundaries of the Roman territory. As to the former Turkish 
provinces of North Africa, they are at present dependencies of Turkey, 
Prance and England. It certainly looks, even to those that are not 
Bible students, as though the nations of Germanic origin—Goths, 
Saxons, Franks, Alemans, Northmen, etc., with the Slavonian Rus¬ 
sians, are still on the road to subdue all other nations (the Turks 
included) and of dividing betwen them tn« world until Christa 
return shall stop their course. 


120 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch.VII. 

The ten horns are political powers. So the two horns also 
represent political powers. The two beasts themselves are religions 
powers, and they had the horns in their service. The dragon nature 
of the beasts is evidence that they are not of a civil or political, but 
of a spiritual nature. It is never said that any purely civil power, 
whether in times pagan, or Christian, was of the dragon kind. On 
the contrary, we are even exhorted by Scripture to be obedient to 
every political or civil power that enforces the-laws only of the 
second table (the laws concerning the duties of man to man). But 
all the false religions, counterfeit Christianity as well as paganism, 
received their authority from the dragon, and we are warned not to 
obey them. But as to the purely civil powers under which we 
chance to live, whether in China or anywhere else, we are exhorted 
to obey them. Their authority does not extend into the realm of 
religion and divine worship. They have no right, for example, to 
enforce Sunday observance, etc. The granting of equal rights and 
liberty of conscience to all men is the duty of civil government. 
But the principles of the first and second beasts were the very 
opposite. False Christianity got the civil government in her service 
and by them forced men into religious doctrines and customs. For 
a long time, namely, until the separation of the Greek church, the 
first beast, or papacy, possessed the help of all the horns, while the 
second beast, which appeared later, came in possession of only a 
part of them. Both beasts exercised their tyranny, according to 
prophecy, until the 1,260 “days” of Daniel and the Revelation 
were ended. They had power until 1791 to kill those that would 
not accept their creeds and statutes. The 6th and 12th verse of 
Rev. 13 would alone suffice to show that the second beast is already 
risen, and that therefore it cannot be future, whether in the United 
States or anywhere else. Verses 5, 6 and 7 state that the first beast 
was to continue in power to overcome the saints for the space of 
42 prophetic months. These 42 months or 1,260 days, prophetic 
time, are the 1,260 common years of the uninterrupted and absolute 
power of the church and state unions over all Christendom, or 
the reign of the Two Witnesses, which ended in 1791. 

The 12th verse says that the second beast did not only exer¬ 
cise its terrible power to make fire come down before the eyes of 
the first beast, but that it even caused the first beast to be wor¬ 
shipped aagin. This proves that the second beast exercised its 
power while the first beast was also in power. How can the second 


The Two Beasts of Rev . Ch. 13. 


121 


beast therefore be yet coming? Indeed, the second beast did not 
appear as early as the first; but from the time that it did appear, it 
did its work in the presence of the first. The reign of the second 
and the latter part of the reign of the first beast coincided for about 
270 years. Remember that the word “enopion” which in King 
James version is translated “before,” has the meaning of “in the 
sight” or “before the eyes.” Therefore the second beast exercised 
its great power in the presence, or, in the sight of the first beast, 
whose deadly wound was healed thereby. It lost its great power 
when the first beast also lost his, namely, at the end of the 1,260 
years (in the end of the eighteenth century). Since that time 
Babylon, the city of abominations, has been sinking. False Chris¬ 
tianity has lost her dominion and authority which she used to 
have. And the remnant of her power, which is yet left, is dimin¬ 
ishing in spite of all the strenuous efforts that are made to uphold 
her. More than a hundred years are already past since power to 
kill persons for not subscribing to her doctrines is gone. 

The concretionary name for the two beasts together is Babylon, 
and also the great whore and her daughters. Babylon literally 
means Confusion, and is portrayed in the Revelation as a woman 
drunken with the blood of the saints, sitting upon the beast of the 
bottomless pit, and whoring with the kings of the earth, with whose 
help she persecuted the people of God. The Babylon of all impure 
churches, the Roman mother and her daughters that sprang from her 
and followed her ways, is in Rev. ch. 11 concretionary com¬ 
prehended as one of the two witnesses that ruled nominal Christ¬ 
endom with despotic rigor until the end of the 1,260 prophetic days. 
Likewise all the political governments in Christendom were compre¬ 
hended as the other witness. The two together formed the union 
of state and church, by which the saints were overcome and the 
Church of God was driven into the wilderness, so that during 1,260 
years of the Dark Ages state and church (church, i. e., the impure 
churches) were left the only visible witness of God before the world. 
This we have proven in Ch. II and III, but thought it was proper 
to repeat it here again. 

Seventh Day Adventists admit the truth that the 1,260 years 
are in the past. Therefore, they contradict themselves greatly by 
their teaching that the second beast has not yet come. Further, 
they apply v. 10 erroneously to the captivity of pope Pius VI. 
They ignore that other popes had similarly suffered before, and 
that it is no single person but the spiritual dominion of the papacy, 
as a whole, which is here to be understood. They ignore the dis¬ 
grace which the popedom suffered in the beginning of the Reforma- 


122 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. VII. 


tion; neither do they notice the deep humiliation of the pope dur¬ 
ing the sacking of Rome by the German and Spanish soldiers, etc. 
If the capitivity spoken of in v. 10 was a literal captivity, why 
then was not the killing also? Was ever a pope killed by any 
political power? Not that we know of. You see, here is another 
gap in their interpretation. But, dear reader, the sword by which 
the popedom was hurt, was not a sword made by hands, but the 
open preaching of the word of God, which is sharper than a two- 
edged sword, and exposes whatsoever is false. Even now, the truth 
if it were publicly shown and preached, would hurt the false 
claims of the papacy far more than anything else. God’s word will 
ever wound the papacy like it did in the long gone days of the three 
Arian horns. At that early time the wound was healed because the 
three Arian horns, which permitted the public preaching of God’s 
word, were plucked up and broken. Then God’s w r ord in its purity 
was no longer heard, and the true church was not longer visible. 
In the sixteenth centurv, however, the Reformers, that at the first 
had seemed to oppose all the false doctrines, made a halt them¬ 
selves. They themselves dropped the sword of the Spirit; yea, they 
went and made an image to the first beast (v. 12) and thus hon¬ 
ored the papacy themselevs and caused the world to honor it. They 
adopted its blasphemous doctrines, the Hoomoousion, etc., and asso¬ 
ciated with the worldly governments to have power to persecute 
the saints and tyrannize the earth like the first beast had done. 


Now we commence the proper exegesis of this chapter: 

The first and second verses read : “And I stood upon the sand 
of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads 
and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads 
the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto 
a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth 
as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power and 
his seat and great authority ” 

These verses refer to History, and inform us that the said 
beast was to have power over all the territories of the ancient uni¬ 
versal dominions and over all their later divisions, as also Daniel 
had foreseen long before Christ. For the heads and horns are em¬ 
pires and kingdoms. The Roman empire absorbed the empires 
that had preceded it, namely, the Babylonian and the Medo-Per- 
sian and the four divisions of the vast Greek dominion founded by 



The Two Beasts of Rev. Ch. 13. 


123 


Alexander, as Daniel had foretold* Those six dominions are in 
this verse mentioned under the following symbols: The four do¬ 
minions of the Greeks, taken as a whole, being the main body 
which lay in the middle—both as to location of its own home terri¬ 
tory (Greece and Macedonia) and as to the time of its existence— 
between the Babylonian and Persian on one side and Rome and the 
ten horns on the other, and being, moreover, divided into four divi¬ 
sions, or political colors, are represented under the symbol of the 
diversely colored leopard; (2) the feet of the beast being like 
those of a bear who walks on two legs represent Media and Persia, 
which were united in the empire of Medo-Persia and had preceded 
the Greek empire; and (3) the mouth being like that of a lion, 
represents the empire of the Babylonians; for it was often spoken 
of in Scripture as a Lion; and it was the mouth, because the mouth 
is the foremost part of a beast. Babylon was the first universal 
kingdom, because it was the kingdom throughout which the tribes 
of Israel, the people of God, became for the first time scattered. 
It was the first dominion that overturned the throne of David 
(transiently) and the first that ruled over all of God’s people in a 
political way since the Theocracy was established; and being often 
called A Lion, it is represented in this vision as a Lion’s Mouth. 
Thus the ante-Roman empires appear under the said three symbols. 
But we have Six Heads, because the great dominion of the Greeks 
which was founded by Alexander, was parted into four empires. 
(See the preceding footnote.) And the Seventh Head, which 
arose after all these, was the Roman. Having been the last of all 
universal dominions of the dragon power, by which the saints of 
God were persecuted, Rome was called the Tail of the Dragon, 
Rev. 12:4. The vast territories of the said dominions therefore are 
the seven heads of the beast mentioned in the above verse; since 
over all them the beast in time extended its power. The number 
Seven denotes Perfection, or Fulness. These seven heads embrace 
in full all the pagan universal empires, in fact all universal em- 


* Alexander’s empire was divided into four realms. These were: 
(1) Syria, (2) Egypt, (3) Macedonia with Greece, (4) Lesser Asia. 
Soon thereafter Greece separated from Macedonia and formed the 
Achaian league, while at the same time the kingdom of Lysimmachus 
(Asia Minor and Thrace) was absorbed by Macedonia and Syria, so 
that still there were four divisions as Daniel had foretold, namely, 
Greece, Macedonia, Syria and Egypt. See Daniel, chapter 8. 



124 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. VII. 


pires under which God’s people became dispersed before the arising 
of the ten horns. Upon these territories, when Eome, the last of 
said empires, was destroyed, stood up the new, multitudinous, po¬ 
litical powers, or, the ten horns of Daniel which went into alliance 
with the papacy and brought unto the beast the “Ten Crowns.”* 

Now that beast, which bears all those symbols, representing all 
the former universal dominions and also their later divisions, must 
be the greatest of all powers that ever ruled over men. The ten 
horns jepresent many powers, and the beast had them all, and was 
therefore universal. It ruled over all the ten horns and had all 
their crowns. Seeing, however, that prophecy has declared, that 
after the Eoman there should no longer exist another universal em¬ 
pire upon the earth except Christ’s kingdom, which, when it comes 
shall destroy all other kingdoms, Dan. 2:44, and (2) that the 
dragon gave the beast his great power: it is evident that it cannot 
be of the common civil kind. Moreover, it is said, not only in this 
chapter (v. 6, 7) but also in the prophecy of Daniel, that this 
beast utters blasphemies against God, and shall think to change the 
law, and shall wear out the saints. Therefore this beast is not a 
political, but a spiritual power which is in rebellion against God 
and His law. It can therefore represent nothing else but the 
papacy. The papacy has ruled during the Dark Ages over all the 
territories of the above-mentioned dominions, and has polluted all 
Christendom with its blasphemous doctrines. It attempted to 
change times and laws, Dan. 7:25, and claims to have authority 

* The Byzantine empire was the first fragment of old Rome. It 
was the first of the new powers. It ruled over all the East until the 
eighth century when it began to decay and was fully destroyed in 
the fifteenth, and thenceforth known as the Ottoman-Turkish empire, 
which in part has now fallen into the hands of Russia, Austria, etc., 
and Greece became free. In the second chapter of Daniel the great 
kingdoms of this world are represented by the image of a man in 
which Babylon was the head, (2) Medo-Persia the breast with the two 
arms (Media and Persia), (3) Greece the belly, (4) Rome the legs. 
And (5) the Division of Rome, the various new kingdoms (or ten 
horns) are the feet and toes. There being two legs foreshadowed 
the division of the Roman empire into the East and West, already in 
pagan times, while it yet was under one government. And the two 
feet ’represented the same fact during its dissolution, in Christian 
times when first it was parted into the Western and Byzantine 
divisions. 



The Two Beasts of Rev. Ch. 13. 


125 


from Christ to do so. That the beast had no less than ten crowns 
is perfect proof itself that it is not the pagan power of ancient 
Rome (which was no more in existence when the ten horns had 
gained possession), but that the counterfeit church is meant as the 
beast to whom the dragon gave his power. In Rev. ch. 12:3 you 
find the same truth, namely that the dragon had the ten horns only 
indirectly at his service, namely, through the papacy, and there¬ 
fore did not have their crowns. He reigned supremelv only in the 
old pagan dominions. Through the Woman's victory (Rev. ch. IS) 
he was cast down to the earth, and could therefore not rule^ openly 
through the ten horns, the so-called “Christian” governments. He 
could no longer display his power in his own name after paganism 
was fallen. Satan’s crowns were only seven. Rev. 12:3. They 
were on the seven heads or seven great dominions of pagan times. 

But the papacy ruled openly and undisputedly for many cen¬ 
turies over all the ten horns; over the Byzantine empire until 850, 
and over all the Western kingdoms yet until the sixteenth century, 
and over most of them until 1791. Therefore it had ten crowns. 
Before the rise of Mohammedanism the whole East was under the 
power of the popedom; and even because of this, that true Christ¬ 
ianity was no longer visible, all that region became an easy prey of 
the false prophet. Those that did escape, although they separated 
afterward from the mother-church and took other names, do never¬ 
theless to this present day closely adhere to papal doctrines and 
witchcraft. 

The dragon gave unto the least his seat and his power and 
great authority. In the exegesis of Rev. ch. 12 we saw that Satan 
ruled supreme in the idolatrous kingdom of the Gentiles, and that 
with the fall of the pagan Roman state religion and the triumph of 
Christianity he lost his former great power to persecute God's 
people, and that therefore he went in great wrath to fight against 
the Church of God in another way (namely, under the garb of 
Christianity) until he succeeded to install a counterfeit church, the 
popedom, in his ancient seat, and to procure for it power from the 
worldly governments to torment the earth and kill the saints, and to 
cause the Woman, which is the pure Church of God, to flee into the 
wilderness. What else can the name of blasphemy on the heads of 
the beast be but this, that the pope calls himself the Representative 
of the Son of God, and says that his kingdom is over all the earth ? 
And did it not extend over all the territories of the seven great 


126 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. VII. 


dominions and ten horns ? Indeed it did. It would be a laborious 
task to give an account of all the slanders which the papacy, or 
first beast, uttered against the Name of God and His saints, and 
with what cunning and perversion he set up institutions contrary 
to the Scripture. 

Verse 3 reads: “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded 
to death; and his deadly wound was healed; and all the world won¬ 
dered after the beast.” 

Just when the seventh head (the Roman empire) was taken 
full possession of by the northern nations, or ten horns, the papacy 
received a deadly wound. Suddenly (about 490) the career of the 
papacy was stopped, just at the very time when it seemed to have 
become fully established. History says of it, “The world suddenly 
found itself Arian.” The Germanic nations, Burgundians, Goths, 
Suevi, Vandals that had invaded the Roman dominion established 
themselves in Gaul, Spain, North Africa, Italy and Illyria and ac¬ 
cepted Christianity. But it was not the papal system which they 
accepted, but so-called Arianism. Now it seemed as though the 
power of the papacy was broken. In 522 the pope, because of his 
unchristian spirit and intolerance, and because of his being accused 
of political intrigues with the Byzantine emperor, was banished 
out of Italy. Very soon, however, after Theodoric, the king of the 
Ostrogoth's death, the wound of the papacy was healed, the Arian 
governments were overthrown. Favored by peculiar circumstances 
and the success of the arms of Justinian in North Africa and Italy, 
the Roman church not only regained her former popularity and in¬ 
fluence, but the way was prepared for her to acquire far greater 
power than she ever had before And fourteen years before the end 
of the sixth century the papacy became enabled to effect the com¬ 
plete extinction—in public we say—of all other confessions of faith 
and of all religious liberties everywhere, as far as the Roman em¬ 
pire had extended. This completed also the fulfilment of the 
prophecy in Rev. ch. 8 (see Ch. XII). The papacy became mistress 
of the world, and the reign of the two cruel witnesses of Rev. ch. 11 
(State and impure Church in union) commenced, as it had been 
foretold. 

Verses 4 to 7 read: “And they worshiped the dragon which 
gave power unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, 
Who is like unto the beast? Who is oMe to make war with him? 
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and 


The Two Beasts of Rev. Ch. 13. 


127 


blasphemies; and power was given him to continue forty and two 
months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to 
blaspheme His Name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in 
heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, 
and to overcome them; and power was given him over all kindreds, 
and tongues, and nations,” etc. 

This much concerning the first beast— 

Now verses 11 to 18 speak of a Second Beast concerning which 
Seventh Day Adventists sav, that it is going to arise in the United 
States of America. However, the twofold testimony of the word 
of God (prophecy and its symbols) proves, that it has been in the 
world ever since the Greek church came out of the Roman church, 
and that it includes all the different false churches that sprang 
from the papacy. The number of this second beast is 666, and is 
the number of a man, which will be seen when we come to verse 
18. 666 is just about the number of all sects. Some statisticians 
counted only 120, but some have counted over 500. Is it possible 
for any man to know them all? These sectarian churches, or mem¬ 
bers of the body of the second beast, came out of the earth, v. 11. 
In common language this means, that the second beast did not only 
spring up among men of low estate, but also in a time of peace. 
The earth is a symbol of quiet people. Men regard the earth as 
the most stable of all things, and nothing frightens men more 
than an earthquake. The symbol therefore is perfect. There never 
was less disturbance among the nations, both in religious and po¬ 
litical respects, than just in the days when the second beast arose. 
Such was not the case when the first beast arose. It came up out 
of the sea, in a time full of great religious and political commo¬ 
tions, the time of the hoomousion controversy and the fall of Rome. 

In verse 11 we read: “And I beheld another beast coming up 
out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake 
as a dragon. Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, Knox, etc., rose out of the 
obscurity of the lower classes in Germany, Switzerland, France, 
etc. They were at first humble men that were stirred up and led 
by the word of God. But soon they left the straight path and took 
the way of a second beast. The Reformation in England was also 
begun by men of the common class. Far it is from the truth that it 
was started by Henry VIII. History calls him the executioner of 
the Reformation in England. He was one of the agents that 
brought about the reign of the second beast and the healing of the 


128 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. VII. 


wound which the first beast had received through the fearless 
preaching of the word of God.* Henry’s acts helped to cripple the 
Reformation in England. He served the church of Eome better 
when he had become the pope’s enemy, than when he first wrote a 
book against Luther. For defending in said book the papal doc¬ 
trines the pope gave him the title of “Defender of the Faith.” Con¬ 
sequently what a great truth did Henry’s successors publicly declare 
by still clinging to this title after they tliought ( !) they had sev¬ 
ered their connection with the papacy! The kings of England, by 
yet holding to that title, publicly proclaim that they are defenders 
of popish doctrines, the doctrines which the second beast taught. 
Is not the English state-church, the so-called Episcopalian, the 
most Romish of all Western sects? 

Years ago the writer used to think that the second beast 
represented only the new r , or so-called Protestant sects, and that 
the two horns symbolize the two parties of Calvinists and Armin- 
ians, those that believe in “predestination” and those that believe in 
“free will.”t He overlooked that a horn does not represent a doc¬ 
trine, but that it represents power which can be either for the en¬ 
forcement of a certain religion as the papacy, Dan. 7, as Greek 
paganism in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, Dan. 8, and for the 
protection of religious liberty as the Arian powers; or, (2) for the 
enforcement of political government, as the ten horns. The two 
horns indicate, therefore, that the second beast had two dominions. 
These were the Eastern or first one in the Byzantine empire in the 
East, now occupied by Greece, Turkey and Russia where the Greek 
schism arose in the ninth century; and second, the Western, which 
arose through the Reformation in the sixteenth century. The 
writer was at first also under the impression that the two horns 
and the full stature of the second beast were bound to have been 

* Notice that many divine prophecies are fulfilled in more than 
one way. The first beast was wounded by the public preaching of 
the word of God during the time of the Arian horns and also again 
at the Reformation; and both these wounds were healed again. But 
the third wound, which it received through the French Revolution 
and since, is incurable and growing larger from year to year. 

f The prophecies show indeed that there are two elections, but 
they are not according to the horrid ideas of Calvinists. The two 
elections are for a special high calling in the kingdom of God. Aside 
from this there is yet salvation, without bringing, however, the glory 
that awaits the first. See Ch. XI and Ch. XIX. 



The Two Beasts of Rev. Ch. 13. 


129 


developed all at once, and therefore he did not take into considera¬ 
tion the eastern separation. But when he reflected that the great 
image of all the kingdoms described by Daniel has been in devel¬ 
opment during the long space of 1,100 years from its head (the 
Babylonian dominion) down to its toes (the governments of our 
times), but that nevertheless it was shown to Daniel in full (Dan. 
ch. 2), and other historic and prophetic testimonies, then he per¬ 
ceived, that the case was the same in regard to this second beast, 
and that therefore the division between the two horns of the beast 
denotes the dividing line between the realms over which the East¬ 
ern, so-called Greek*, and the Western, so-called Protestant, schisms 
extended, and that the beast was not yet fullgrown until the six¬ 
teenth century when it received the power to persecute. 

The second beast “spake as a dragon ” This shows that it 
acted the same as the first beast. History witnesses that the Re- 
formers withdrew from the influence of the Spirit of God that 
had led them, and turned back again toward Rome. Luther 
stormed against his friends who, during his absence on the Wart- 
burg, had commenced to reinstate the pure apostolic doctrines. 
How unbrotherly did he treat Carlstadt! He also had first con¬ 
fessed that infant baptism could not be sustained by proof from 
the Bible. But after awhile he upheld and taught it like he did 
other Romish inventions. Other Reformers did likewise. They 
also retained the Sunday which the popes gradually had substituted 
for the seventh day, the Sabbath of the Bible. And they perse¬ 
cuted and killed them that kept the day which the Lord had sancti¬ 
fied. For example, preacher James of the Millyard church in 
London was executed on that account. In Switzerland, especially 
in Zurich, which was then the foremost of the Reformed Cantons, 
a violent persecution arose against them who rejected infant sprink¬ 
ling and wanted to reinstate the baptism of repentant believers. A 

* Russia now is the staff and strong tower of the Greek Catholic 
church. But some may possibly dispute that Russia is one of the 
powers announced by Daniel’s prophecy as successors of Rome. But 
it truly is, only it was the last one to appear. It considers itself 
heir to the Byzantine empire and has already absorbed a large portion 
of East Roman territory. It has crossed the Caucasus and for some 
time already has it thrown its shadow over the Slavonian nations 
that inhabit the Balkan peninsula, and is striving for the possession 
of Constantinople. 



130 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . VII. 

great many were killed by drowning, and some who were exiled, 
were afterward burnt in Austria, in Bohemia and in the Tyrol. 
These so-called Anabaptists in Switzerland had not only no connec¬ 
tion with the seditious movements of the peasants, nor with fanatics 
like the Anabaptists of Munster, and must not be confounded with 
them; but, on the contrary, they taught only the doctrines of Christ 
and the apostles. They taught that the state should not interfere 
with the consciences of men, and that men should be. subject.to the 
governments in all other respects. Only in regard to their faith 
and duties toward God they wished to be left alone. But by the 
same means as the saints were overcome bv the first beast (v. 7), 
so were these now overcome by the second (v. 12). For they were 
killed. The great new sects sought and received the aid of the 
state powers, like the first beast,* in order to uphold and propa¬ 
gate their errors and to kill those that did not teach them. A cer¬ 
tain sect ruled in one state, and another sect in another state. And, 
aside from being persecuted, other yet far greater misfortunes 
arose. Offensive acts and crimes of madmen were laid to the 
charge of God’s people, just as it had been in the fourth, fifth and 
sixth centuries. These slanders, the propagation of popish doc¬ 
trines, and the persecutions, all committed by the second beast, 
were the causes why the papal beast recovered its strength again. 

The Beformers turned aside from the straight path, and there¬ 
fore a true Beformation could not be produced* and the deadly 
wound of the first beast was healed again. The prophecy said, 
Bev. 13:12, that the second beast “exerciseth all the power of the 
first least, and causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to 
worship the first least whose deadly wound was healed.” Its exer¬ 
cising the persecuting power of the first beast caused the wound 
to heal. It forced men to hold to papal doctrines, so that many in 
disgust left the Beformed churches and united again with the 
Papists. In Fusslin’s Beytraegen we read that in Zurich, on 
March 7, 1526, it was decreed by the “Beformed” that whosoever 


* “It was given unto him to make war with the saints and to 
overcome them." Rev. 13:7. And as to the second beast, “He spake 
as a dragon and exerciseth all the power of the first beast . . 
and maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth . . . and 
deceiveth them . . .” Verses 11-14. 



The Two Beasts of Rev. Ch. 13. 


131 


should administer Rebaptism*should be arrested,and, if condemned 
should be drowned without mercy. Upon this the historian re¬ 
marks: "If any one asks with what kind of justice this was done, 
the Papists would have an answer. They would say, "According 
to papal law heretics must die.” There is no need to inquire 
further. The maxim is applicable here. Will you, 0 Reader, doubt 
any longer who the second beast is, and that the new sects do not 
constitute it? Nevertheless we shall bring forth more testimony. 

The Reformers wavered in their reliance on God, and so en¬ 
tered they also into that odious compact, called the Union of State 
and Church. They did it for the purpose that they might be pro¬ 
tected and supported and empowered by the state governments to 
enforce their doctrines, and to persecute them that taught other¬ 
wise. Thus was fulfilled what is written concerning the second 
beast in verses 13 and 14, namely : “And he doeth great wonders, 
so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the 
sight of men (that is, he also had power to cause persecutions from 
the seat of ruling power to fall on the people, see Interpretation of 
Prophetic Symbols in Ch. I) ; and deceiveth them that dwell on the 
earth by those miracles which he had power to do in the Sight of 
the Beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should 


* “Rebaptism.” We say, the true baptism instead of rebaptism. 
For the ceremony administered to infants is unnecessary, and there¬ 
fore has no merit. Christian baptism is that which is preceded by 
faith, confession and repentance. Only the repentant believer’s 
baptism is valid according to the Scripture. 

Never has History furnished a greater lesson concerning the re¬ 
tributive justice that falls upon wicked governments, as it does in the 
account of how Blaurock shook the dust off his feet for a testimony 
to the city of Zurich (Matt. 10:14,15) when he was banished and all 
the preachers of the true scriptural baptism of repentant and believ¬ 
ing sinners were persecuted and many of them killed, and of that 
terrible calamity that very shortly after Blaurock’s banishment fell 
upon Zurich, and upon all its ruling and honorable men, and upon 
Zwingli himself. Here again, as elsewhere, by following the paths 
trodden by the saints we find how prophecy was fulfilled. This we 
see not only in the histories of great empires, but as well in those 
of small communities. However, the powers of Satan are always 
active to blind and confuse the minds, as for example by those 
wicked fanatics at Munster, and by that unfortunate tragedy near 
the city of St. Gall, etc. “None of the wicked shall understand, but 
the wise shall understand.” Dan. 12:10. 



132 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch.VII. 


make an image to.the beast which had a wound by a sword and did 
live The second beast caused an image to be made to the first; it 
caused that cathechisms and disciplines were set up in which, mixed 
up with truths, were contained papel doctrines, skillfully arranged; 
and it caused the governments to force the people to honor and fol¬ 
low those doctrines. The beast slandered the Name of God, it cast 
aside the doctrine of subordination as taught in the Scripture, and 
set up the old papal doctrine of the Homoousion and the belief that 
Jesus had power to overrule God's commandments, and that he 
did so; it profaned the Lord’s day and made it a day of burdens; 
it caused the Sunday to be called the Christian Sabbath and forced 
men to observe it; it caused infants to be sprinkled, and it dropped 
the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins. It sanctioned 
the swearing of oaths, allowed interest to.be taken from the poor 
and needy, and also urged its followers to meddle with the worldly 
powers, to take part in wars, etc. In brief, the Reformers paid no 
longer any attention to Christ’s teaching in his Sermon on the 
Mount.* The so-called Episcopalian became the state church of 
England, and Lutherans as well as Papists were persecuted in that 
country. Calvinism was adopted in Scotland, etc., the Lutheran 
became the state church of Prussia and Scandanavia, etc,, and all 
sects persecuted one another. Instead of seeking after members 
who are spiritually regenerated, the state churches sought through 
the empty ceremony of infant baptism to gather up multitudes 
of whom the most afterward became a disgrace to the Christian 
name. In all these things both beasts did the same. Gibbon says: 
“The Reformers admitted the creed of Rome.” Having seen the 
triumph of the truth at the diet of Worms, and the wound which 
the first beast had received, how strange it is that the Reformers so 
quickly did the opposite of what they first had professed, and al¬ 
lowed evil influences to cause them to make an image to the first 
beast by adopting his system of false doctrines and worldly cun¬ 
ning and persecution! 

When thus the true Reformation, as it should have been, was 
stopped and men saw that, if they left the popedom, they became 
the prey of other evil, and that the Reformers still honored many 
institutions of the papacy, then came confusion and offense. The 
wound of the first beast was healed, and men began to worship the 


* Set also Mark 10:42-45. 



The Two Beasts of Rev. Ch. 13. 


133 


first beast again, and great wars commenced. Then the Protestants 
also took the sword in hand like the Catholics, but it availed them 
nothing, even as Macauley said: “Protestantism has to this day 
no more gained what it then lost.” 

In his great work on the Decline and Fall of Rome, Gibbon 
says, “The Reformers were ambitious to succeed the tyrants whom 
(they had dethroned.” Again: “The volumes of controversy are 
overspread with cobwebs; the doctrines of a Protestant church is 
far removed from the knowledge or belief of its private members. 
And the forms of orthodoxy, the articles of faith, are subscribed 
with a sigh or a smile by the modern clergy.”* Hypocrisy and 
skepticism were the fruits of manmade doctrines. D’Aubigne, the 
great historian of the Reformation of the sixteenth century, was 
himself an orthodox Protestant teacher. The Protestants will not 
refuse his testimony. On p. 512 (R. Carter & Bros/ edition) we 
read: A cry of astonishment . . . disputing, tearing and 

devouring of each other.” On p. 575: “Melanchthon ashamed to 
own the Swiss as brethren.” (Nevertheless he is accused of be¬ 
lieving at heart the Swiss Reformed doctrine.) Already at the diet 
of Augsburg there were three different confessions represented. 
Calvin had Servetus killed on grounds of heresy; and nearly ev¬ 
erywhere one Reformer persecuted the other. Gibbon says, “The 
flames of Smithfield in which he” (Cranmer) “afterward was con¬ 
sumed, were kindled by the zeal of Cranmer.” Because Karlstadt 
advocated the observance of the Bible Sabbath, and some other 
things that did not agree with Luther’s teaching, he was banished 
out of Saxony. Luther was also an implacable Jewhater; in his 
last sermon (at Eisleben, shortly before his death) he yet raged 
against them. And so imperious was he that Melanchthon con¬ 
fesses it made him feel as if in slavery. It is no wonder that the 
sermons of the Episcopalians were disgusting to the Irish. They 
could not understand in what the belief of the so-called Reformed 
was superior to their old faith. For the sects that now ransack the 
history of the Spanish Inquisition to bring deeds of horror to light 
will find acts of cruelty as great perpetrated by themselves against 
Papists and even to one another. Many laws that were enacted 


* These words were uttered but a few years before the French 
.'Revolution, and they sound almost like a prophecy of that day of 
Atheism. 



134 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. VII. 


against the Irish Catholics in the reigns of queen Elizabeth and 
queen Ann betoken as little “the patience of saints” (Rev. 14:12) 
and justice and mercy as any that were issued by Roman Catholics. 
Were therefore the outbreaks of anger of the long downtrodden 
Irish to be wondered at? What says the Scripture? He that 
leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity; he that killeth with 
the sword must be killed with the sword. 

It is because their own light was darkness that neither Cath¬ 
olics nor Protestants could see who the two beasts w r ere. They 
could not understand this prophecy, because they themselves be¬ 
longed either to the first beast which had the great empire of Ro¬ 
manism, or to the second which represents her daughters. 

Like mother, like daughter, says the Scripture (Ez. 16:44). 
The young of a lioness are not lambs. The leaven of the popedom 
is in the so-called Protestant churches. Men may say, Yes, it is 
true. Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Greek Catholics, 
etc., have had the spirit of persecution, but that this cannot be said 
of the latest sects, for example, Methodists. This is a mistake. 
We acknowledge that Methodists are probably the most peaceable, 
most liberal and courteous, and claim to teach the commandments 
of God. But, do you know how violently Sabbath keepers have 
been attacked by some of their great leaders ? and how often certain 
preachers have said, that the state laws should not exempt Sab¬ 
bath keepers from being fined for working on Sundays, and that if 
Jews or others want to keep the seventh day let them nevertheless 
be compelled to keep the Sunday also * Dear reader, while there 
are noble and pious men among them, yet there are many of lamb¬ 
like appearance, that, if they but had the power, would persecute 
the same as they did during the Dark Ages. 

Even others also, who do not believe that they would take part 
in a persecution, yet do exercise a spirit of popish tyranny when they 
overrule in an arbitrary manner the will of a community in respect 
to the election of teachers, and substitute through synods the one 
desired with one that will be entirely subservient to the denomination 
in the interpretation of the Scriptures. 

In the original Greek (v. 12) it is stated that the second beast 
was to exercise his authority enopion, that is in sight (before the 
eyes, or, in the presence) of the first beast, showing that the power 

* The writer has in his possession a pamphlet published by a well- 
known Methodist minister that also contains this statement. 



The Two Beasts of Rev. Ch. 13. 


135 


of the second fell inside the time of the power of the first. The 
papacy was already astir in the beginning of the third century, and 
even before, but it could not show itself fully until the fourth, and 
then did not enter the era of its absolute power until the first half 
of the sixth century. As to the second beast, its forepart arose 
with the Greek schism, about 850; but its two horns of great perse¬ 
cuting power and dominion were not given it until the third decade 
of the sixteenth century w r hen the whole of its body had come up. 
That was the time of the turn for the great oppressions of the 
second beast which lasted until the time of the French revolution. 
Since then both beasts have lost their great power. Evidence is not 
wanting that their nature is still the same; but they are now de¬ 
prived of their teeth. During the Dark Ages they had the power 
to force the baptizing of infants, to regard them as their own, to be 
brought up in their creeds. By means of that superstitious cere¬ 
mony people were blinded and made to feel secure. They thought 
that God esteemed their children more for that ceremony and gener¬ 
ally slept on in ignorance without awakening to a knowledge of great 
truths and the duties incumbent upon followers of Christ and fu¬ 
ture heirs of the kingdom of God. Thus were people robbed of 
their birthright which was to be brought about through the baptism 
of reformation, or, in other words, the repentant believer's baptism; 
the birthright to the divine nature, the price of the highcalling in 
Christ Jesus for the overeomer, while others cannot attain to any¬ 
thing higher than the estate which they lost in Adam. For baptism 
without faith and true repentance is an idle ceremony* 

* It is not amiss to notice here a subject to which we shall come 
further on, namely, that some teach that infant baptism came in the 
room of circumcision. Baptism has nothing in common with circum¬ 
cision. Circumcision did not set aside baptism in the primitive 
church, nor did baptism abolish circumcision. The Hebrew Christ¬ 
ians in Palestine, Syria and Minor Asia observed both ordinances. 
See Ch. XIX. Circumcision was an outward token of the cove¬ 
nant of election which God made with Abraham and his seed for the 
coming millennial reign, and is therefore of no use to the members 
of the bride which chiefly are gathered from the Gentiles. But bap¬ 
tism is a voluntary act, an act of faith in Christ of the person who 
receives it, a sign of his regeneration to a godly life and of the 
cleansing from sin through the blood of Christ after repentance. 
See Ch. XXII for further light on the subject. Since infant bap¬ 
tism is unnecessary, being not preceded by faith, and whereas there 


136 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. VII. 

Eev. 13:16, 17 testifies further concerning the second beast 
that “he causcth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and 
bond, to receive a marh in their hand, or in their foreheads. And 
that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the 
name of the beast, or the number of his name ” This is another tes¬ 
timony by which we may know the second beast and them that wor¬ 
ship it. The mark being in the forehead or in the right hand, can 
be none other than the profanation of the Sabbath of the Lord, of 
which it is written, that it is “A sign forever between the Lord and 
His people.” x\ll of God’s people, from all nations, are grafted 
into the commonwealth of Israel, and to the Israel of God alone are 
the promises. Already from the beginning of the human race the 
Sabbath was sanctified, and God’s people observed it. The con¬ 
trary, namely the abolition of the Lord’s day, and the setting in its 
place the first day of the week after the commandment of men, is 
the mark of the beast. Sunday was adopted by the Roman church 
in place of the Sabbath, pretendingly to commemorate the resur¬ 
rection of Christ. The mark is in the forehead because God’s 
commandment says: “Remember the Sabbath day.” We know 
that the organs of remembrance are in the forehead. And sec¬ 
ond ly, the mark is in the right hand, because the outward distinc¬ 
tion between the keeping and profaning of the Sabbath is work or 
no work. The right hand is the chief member in the performance 
of manual labor, and, therefore, the most suitable exterior location 
for the mark. The mark is both in the mind and in the body. It 
applies spiritually and physically; for we shall love God and honor 
His .commandments both with our whole mind and bodily strength, f 

is no necessity for repentance of an infant, nor a desire for laying 
off the carnal will of the natural human being, the reason is perfectly 
clear why children sprinkling sects (for example the Protestant 
Episcopalians at their convention at Baltimore, 1872) have made the 
confounding declaration that “with the word regeneration we are not 
to understand a moral change!” 

f “I cannot agree with Brother Nuesch in regard to the seal of 
God and the mark of the beast that it is the Sabbath alone. The fore¬ 
head is a symbol of the understanding. Therefore the sealing is an 
intellectual sealing; it is a sealing of the understanding with a knowl¬ 
edge of God’s holy word, a sanctification of those who wear it by hav¬ 
ing the knowledge of the truth. And the sealing in the right hand 
represents the good works which the sealing in the forehead produces. 
This sealing represents the understanding of the word of God and the 



The Two Beasts of Rev. Ch. 13. 


137 


The second beast did in this matter as the first had done. It ac¬ 
commodated its Sunday keeping followers. Only Sunday keepers 
enjoyed during the Dark Ages the privileges of citizenship; to 
buy and sell and transact business as they pleased. Sabbath keep¬ 
ers were regarded as outlaws and heretics, or as Jews. This latter 
also was dangerous; for the Jews were also persecuted and denied 
many civil rights during the Dark Ages. No other thing was, nor 
is yet, so conspicuous a sign, and did so much to distinguish those 
who kept the commandments of God as the keeping of the Sab¬ 
bath, the holy day of the Lord. And have you not noticed what 
fear and dislike preachers yet manifest even in our own time, 
against Sabbath keepers? You see all Protestants, Baptists, Pres¬ 
byterians and others, no matter how far they may otherwise differ, 
mix up among one another and preach at intervals, though some 
probably may unwillingly allow it. But, how all shun a Sabbath 
keeper! In this they are a unit! (But Babylon has lost her great 
power to seriously harm anyone for keeping holy the Sabbath of 
the Lord, though for a little while one or another may in certain 
countries yet be fined for working on Sunday. Also the power to 
compel people to attend church services on Sunday, and to have 
children by force brought up in state churches is nearly gone. No 
state church will yet be established in the United States. All fear 
of this is vain; for according to the testimony of the Scripture the 
1,260 yeais of the great tyranny of state churches is gone, and the 
rest of their strength is passing away; even in Russia it cannot in¬ 
crease, but must decrease. Religious persecutions are passing away 
and infidelity is now increasing.) 

In conclusion verse 18 tells us yet, that the number of the 
second beast is also the number of a man. and that this number 


consecration resulting therefrom, and the carrying of the message of 
glad tidings of great joy, and also of the works of charity which they 
perform. As to the mark of the beast, it is the counterfeit of the 
seal of God. Its followers are marked intellectually in their fore¬ 
heads or in their minds. They are sealed by false doctrines and 
traditions. And the mark in the right hand is the fruit of their 
error, the persecuting spirit and un-Christian works of those who 
bear the mark of the beast in their forehead. All those who would 
not accept the false doctrines of the papacy, and resisted it, and who 
dared to read and teach the Bible, and to live apart from the papacy, 
and serve God according to the dictates of their own conscience, and 
aided their brethren in Christ—suffered torture and death for Christ’s 
sake.—A Raleigh." 



138 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch.VII. 

can be found by him who has understanding; “for it is the number 
of a man: and his number is 666” 

The unsearchable wisdom of God, w T ho knows the end from 
the beginning, is again demonstrated by this passage. As we have 
found in the two preceding verses that the mark of the second 
beast is also the mark of the first, so also did this verse foretell 
that the second beast has the same number as the first. For the 
man who has that number is the pope, the representative of the 
first beast. He claims to be the representative of Christ on earth, 
but the number which is contained in that name proves him to be 
the representative of the first beast. And not onty the Roman, 
but both beasts claim that their own consecrated clergy are true 
custodians of the oracles of God, and that they alone do correctly 
interpret them. Now the pope wears in golden letters on his triple 
crown the name of his presumption, namely: Vicarivs Filii Dei , 
which being anglicized is: “Representative of the Son of God.” 
The letters of this Latin name, as they are used for figures, carry 
in themselves the number 666. V equals 5, i is 1, c is 100, i is 1, 
v is 5; — i is 1, 1 is 50, i is 1, i is 1; — D is 500 and i is 1: total 
.666. This number is also found in the words: Latinvs Rex Sacer- 
dos. Latinvs is a Latin-speaking man, (2) Rex is king, and (3) 
Saeerdos is priest. As to these names, (1) the pope transacts all 
his official business in Latin, Latin is the Roman Catholic church 
language;* (2) the pope is a great ecclesiastic king, head over the 
whole Roman Catholic church, and his decisions are declared to 
be infallible; (3) the pope is a priest and received the priest's 
anointing before he was elected pope. The three words Latinvs 
(Latin-speaking man), Rex (king), and Saeerdos (priest) describe 
perfectly the pope’s professions. The inscription on his crown de¬ 
scribes the pope as to what he presumes to be. See Dan. 7:25; 
2 Thess. 2:3, 4, etc. And the second title shows him in the light in 
which he appears to all men whether Christians, Jews or pagans, 
namely a Latin-speaking man, a priest, and the ruler of the Roman 
church.* And is it not singular that both in his presumptive and 
in his real title the number 666 is found in the Roman Catholic 
church language itself, even in the language which the pope him¬ 
self uses! 


* More than ever was he acknowledged through the enactment 
of the doctrine of his infallibility just at the time when this prophecy 
began to be understood. In John’s time, however, this prophecy could 
not have been understood, for “the man of sin” was not yet manifest. 



Exposition of Heavenly Truths . 139 

The number G66 is the number of the second beast; for it 
represents the almost incredible number of the sects that sprang 
from the papacy. 

This chapter may now be closed with a repetition of the Scrip¬ 
tural statement, that the saints keep the testimony of Jesus and 
the commandments of God. Rev. 14:12. We know what the com¬ 
mandments of God are. And the testimony of Jesus is the spirit 
of prophecy. Rev. 19:10. Those who cast aside the testimony of 
Jesus and the commandments-of God, are in darkness, and under 
the power of antichrist who already began to work in Paul’s time, 
but could not become manifest until a certain obstacle was removed 
that stood yet in his way. That hindrance disappeared with the 
extinction of paganism in the Roman empire. For then the op¬ 
portunity was offered the papacy to make advances toward an al¬ 
liance with the political powers. 

Jesus said, he was not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill 
it. For there is but One God, and His law is immutable. The 
Scripture shows that the law of God is holy and perfect and that 
Christ descended and suffered for man on account of its transgres¬ 
sion. But the doctrine of the Homoousion engendered the belief 
that Christ overruled the law of God, that he changed it and also 
gave the church power to make laws and command them under 
sin. This doctrine was the broodstead for all the presumptions of 
the popedom. 


Chapter VIII. 

On the 14th Chapter of Revelation, but in Particular, on the 
Third Angel’s Message. 

Verses 9 and 10 of Rev. 14 warn men, Not to worship the 
beast, nor his image, nor receive his mark. This message has 
already been heard for a long time, but its proclamation is not yet 
closed. For although the great power of Babylon is broken, she is 
nevertheless not yet destroyed, and all her plagues have not yet 
been fulfilled. Therefore hear the warning, that if any man shall 
worship the beast or his image, and receive his mark, the same shall 
drink of the wine of the wrath of God The same angel cries in 
Rev. 18 :4, saying, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not 



140 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. VIII. 


partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not her plagues.” The 
plagues are just; for the false churches cannot force men any 
longer to follow false doctrines and disobey God’s commandments. 
Men have now everywhere free access to the Scripture. They have 
their own choice either to walk in the light of God’s w r ord, or refuse 
to study it and obey it. For this reason people are not excused for 
accepting false doctrines. 

The 14th chapter of Revelation encompasses the whole period 
of time from the completion of the gathering of the 144,000 elect, 
until the end of the present dispensation. The voice spoken of in 
v. 2 was heard about the year 313 when the development and birth 
of all the members of the new man was completed (see Intpr. of 
Rev. ch. 12), when pagan persecutions had ceased, and when the 
-whore, who is the mother of false churches, had not yet obtained 
her seat and her power as mistress of the world. Verses 1 to 15 at¬ 
test once more the completion of the body of the 144,000 elect 
spoken of in Rev. ch. 7. This body is called The Bridegroom, The 
Manchild (Rev. 12:5) and The Temple of God (Rev. 11:1). In 
this chapter his members are called The Firstfruits unto God and 
the Lamb. They were gathered in the days of the youthful gospel 
church from the twelve tribes out of all nations among whom they 
were dispersed (Rev. 5:9, 10; Rev. 7:4, etc.). 

From the time of the gathering of the 144,000 there elapsed 
218 years until the papal church became mistress of nominal 
Christendom. This was the beginning of the 1,260 years of the 
Dark Ages, the time of the absolute power of state and church 
unions. The French revolution put an end to that great tyranny. 
But already 280 years before the said revolution was the time for 
the first warning angel of this chapter. His coming was foretold 
in verses 6 and 7 as follows: “And I saw another angel fly in mid¬ 
heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that 
dwell on the earth, and to every kindred and tongue and people, 
saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him; for 
the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made 
heaven and earth and the fountains of waters.” This message an¬ 
nounced the wonderful dissemination of the Scriptures through the 
Reformation of the sixteenth century, when through the aid of the 
newly-found art of printing, thousands of Bibles were scattered 
among all classes. John saw the angel in midheaven; for the Ger¬ 
man empire, where the start for the great spreading of the Scrip- 


The Third Angel's Message: Rev. 14:9 , 10. 


141 


ture was made, was at that time the very center of nominal Christ¬ 
ianity. The old German emperors occupied the highest position 
among all rulers in Christendom from Charlemagne down to the 
end of the 1,260 years. The judgment proclaimed by this angel 
consisted in this, (1) that through the Reformation the papacy 
received a deadly wound and that at the same time its chief sup¬ 
port, the imperial (German) power began to decay; (2) that in 
less than three hundred years thereafter the end of the 1,260 years 
of the great authority of the state churches did indeed come, through 
the change that was produced on the world by the French revolu¬ 
tion. The great persecuting power of the two witnesses, state and 
church, passed away (and within a very few years thereafter (1806) 
the old German empire was dissolved). The Reformation of the 
sixteenth century was the greatest calamity that befell the papacy 
before the end of the 1,260 years; therefore the angel cried at that 
time that the time of judgment had come. He also urged men to 
worship God. Few however, heeded. The most of them that heard 
the voice (spiritually speaking) and were awakened out of their 
sleep soon turned back again into the city of confusion and abom¬ 
inations. The Reformation, instead of speeding onward in the 
way of truth, was stopped and dissolved itself into human organiza¬ 
tions. Under different sectarian names these again adopted the 
ways of the first beast and gave great offence, even so much as to 
cause men to worship the first beast again. And it came to pass that 
those few that did not worship the beast, or his image, and that 
gave honor to God alone, were persecuted. 

In 1791 the great judgment on Babylon became manifest to 
all the world, even to them that were not Bible students and his¬ 
torians. It was in the Reign of Terror of the beast of the bottom¬ 
less pit that the voice of the second angel was heard in spirit and 
in truth, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, be¬ 
cause she made all nations drink of the wine of her fornication.” 
Atheism reigned supreme in that revolution, having been called 
forth through the tyranny of state and impure church; and Babylon 
was cast down from her great height, and has been sinking ever 
since, deeper and deeper. The glad message is still sounding, ever 
louder and louder, till she be completely sunken out of sight. 

Immediately therefore, after the second angel, the third angel 
followed. And to us he cries with a loud voice: “7/ any man wor - 
ship the beast arid his image, and receives his mark in the for&* 


142 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch.VHL 

head or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath 
of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his 
indignation. . . . Here is the patience of the saints: here 

are they which keep the commandments of God and the faith of 
Jesus' 3 Verse 10 testifies that the said judgment shall not be 
finished until after Christ shall have returned. For it is written, 
“They shall be tormented in fire and brimstone in the presence of 
the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.” 

The said torment must be understood according to the symbolic 
language of prophecy. See Chapter I.. The presence of the Lamb is 
in the ages of the restitution, when the earth shall be filled with 
the knowledge and glory of the Lord as waters that cover the sea. 
We know also that while sin and iniquity cannot have dominion in 
that time, neither will the mercies of God and loving reproof fail. 
Ps. 2:10-12. 

Brother Raleigh makes the following remark: “The third angel’s 
message does not at all relate to the Gospel Age, but the Millennial 
Age, which is now close at hand. The object of the Gospel Age was 
not as a day of judgment, but as a day to take out a bride for Christ. 
Therefore an exhortation to repent “lest ye be cast into hell” is out 
of place during this age. For that reason the message, “If any man 
worship the beast or his image or receive the number of his name 
. . . shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence 
of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth unto ages 
of ages,” can apply only to the millennial time, the times of the res¬ 
titution of all things, when every knee shall bow and every tongue 
confess that Jesus is the Christ. For the days of probation can only 
be closed with the end of the millennial age. Therefore this warning 
must apply to the end, or just before the end of probation, namely, 
the millennium.—A. Raleigh.” 

The writer thinks that Brother Raleigh is in the above right only 
in this that the said torment of the wicked belongs into the ages yet 
to come. But the warning not to worship the beast certainly is for 
the present. And undoubtedly Brother Raleigh made another mis¬ 
take by including all the times of restitution in the millennial age. 
The millennium is only the beginning of the ages of restitution; it is 
the reign of Christ and His saints before the resurrection and gen¬ 
eral judgment. After the 1,000 years’ reign the saints, the 144,000, 
shall be gathered together to judge with Christ. And then shall 
commence the time of torment on the wicked. When this is ended 
then shall the bride company, the Lamb’s wife, descend according to 
Rev. ch. 21. She shall certain assist in healing and blessing the 
Ebionite {or Hebrew) Christians. (Hegesippus wrote about A.-D. 4-00r) 
nations, and shall invite them to take of the waters of life. 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 143 

Chapter IX. 

The First Five Seals. Rev. 6:1-11. 

The first five seals contain the history of the primitive church. 
In the time of the first four seals was accomplished the election or 
calling out of the 144,000 that shall reign with Christ and judge the 
living and the dead. These elect are the members of the spiritual 
bridegroom whose head is Jesus, sealed of the twelve tribes of Israel 
according to the promise. Under the fifth seal the gathering of the 
last remnant of them was completed. As to the four hdrses, a horse 
denotes a swift messenger; and he that rides him personifies the 
spirit of the message that he carries. The five seals were opened 
in haste; their time ended A. D. 313. 

When the Lamb had opened the first seal (Rev. 6, v. 2) John 
saw “a white horse; and he that sat on him had a how; and a crown 
was given unto him; and he went forth conquering and to conquer.” 
Under this seal the gospel was disseminated throughout the Roman 
empire. The White Horse denotes a messenger of light and truth, 
the carrier of the gospel message in its purity, unmixed with hu¬ 
man doctrines. Thus went forth the apostles and members of the 
spiritual body of Christ. They fought against the powers of dark¬ 
ness and received of God a crown, and they shall reign with Christ. 
We see here the same symbol which is given in ch. 19:11 (for so 
shall Christ and his saints return to reign on the earth). Under 
this seal the preaching of the gospel was attended with great suc¬ 
cess. The Romans not only did not yet persecute the Christians ; 
but rather protected them from the hatred of the Jews. They 
released John from banishment; they protected Paul from the mur¬ 
derous wrath of the Jews at Corinth and Jerusalem, and from the 
attacks of the Greeks at Ephesus. They had no share in the per-. 
secution set on foot at Jerusalem by Herod Agrippa who was a 
Jew and slew James the Great. (God himself avenged his death.) 
Later the slaying of James the Just, the brother of the Lord, was 
avenged by the Romans. -For Albinus, the Roman procurator, de¬ 
posed Ananus, the highpriest, who after Festus’ death before the 
arrival of the new governor had opportunity to commit the mur¬ 
der. This first seal covered the shortest time of all. It was opened 
when John received the Revelation, and it ended A. D. 67.* 

* For proof that these dates are correct, see Chapter XIX of this 
book, and Rev. 1:1; Rev. 12:4, etc. 



144 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. IX. 

The free course of the gospel under the first seal is also at¬ 
tested by Tertullian (who lived in the second century). He says : 
“Tiberius therefore (the Roman emperor) under whom the name 
of Christ was spread throughout the world, when this doctrine was 
announced to him from Palestine, where it first began, communi¬ 
cated with the senate, being obviously pleased with the doctrine; 
but the senate, as they had not proposed the measure, rejected it. 
But he continued in his opinion, threatening death to the accusers 
of the Christians; a divine providence infusing this into his mind, 
that the gospel, having freer scope in its commencement, might 
spread everywhere over the world.” Eusebius also says, in the 
22d chapter of his second book, that Paul was rescued out of the 
lion’s mouth (namely from the power of Nero in the time of his 
first imprisonment) “that the preaching of the gospel might be 
accomplished.” 

The “Great Persecution” did not commence until 67 when 
the first seal was ended. 

With the opening of the Second Seal a great change came: 
“There went out a horse that was red; and power was given to him 
that sat thereon to take peace from the earth , and that they should 
kill one another; and there teas given unto him a great sword/* 
The Neronian persecutions, and then the Jewish wars, commenced. 
Suddenly all apostolic writings stopped. We hear nothing more 
from Paul, or Luke, or Peter, or any of the rest of the apostles. 
Let some say that John received the Revelation after Nero’s reign. 
Where is their proof ? Hated by the Jews and accused of having set 
Rome afire (indeed, they brought a spiritual fire on the world, but 
not a material to destroy houses made by hands) the Christians 
now were persecuted by all the world, both Jews and Gentiles. The 
.Church was almost drowned in blood. But there was one great and 
inestimable relief under this seal: Jerusalem and the temple were 
destroyed. The two nations, Jews and Romans, which finally had 
united to persecute the Christians, made war on one another from 
the beginning of this seal until it ended. They began to “kill one 
another.” But the victory was with Rome and the Jews were sub¬ 
dued. Therefore soon after the pagan Romans had commenced to 
persecute the followers of Christ, the authority of the Jewish priest¬ 
hood ceased, and the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, were carried 
captive into Italy and Spain, A. D. 70. Toward the end of this 
seal the revolution of the ten tribes, whose chief abode had been 


The First Five Seals: Rev. 6:1-11. 


145 


Asia Minor and Armenia, was also broken after a bloody war in 
Galilee, A. D. 130. In this there were as many lives lost as at the 
destruction of Jerusalem, and the fine cities on lake Gennesareth, 
Tiberias, Capernoum, etc., were destroyed. Emperor Hadrian 
thereupon deported the ten tribes into the country north of the 
Alps. This seal of blood ended about A. D. 134.* 

The Third Seal. Verses 5 and 6 read: “And when he had 
opened the third seal, I heard the third living being say, Come and 
see: And I beheld, and lo, a black hor$e; and he that sat on him had 
a pair of balances in his hand . And I heard a voice in the midst 
of the four living beings say. A measure of wheat for a penny, 
and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou, hurt not 
the oil and the wine Here we have a message on a black horse. 
Darkness drew on again and commenced to struggle anew with 
light and truth. Pagan philosophy and various false doctrines 
crept in among Christians and began to becloud the minds. When 
this seal was opened (between 60 and 70 years after the destruc¬ 
tion of Jerusalem) the Hebrew-Christian communities in Asia 
Minor, Syria, Pontus, etc., were strong. The Hebrew-Christians 
meddled not in politics; they had not taken part in the Galilean se¬ 
dition, but remained in those northern provinces, and were in the 
zenith of prosperity, in the midst of great blessings, respected and 
looked upon by all Gentile Christians »as their pattern of Christian 
life. The balances stood yet level during this seal. But when it 
ended, they began to move. The false doctrines that had arisen 
among the Gentiles began to bear fruit. The Gentiles became re¬ 
luctant of heeding any longer the apostolic advice to take the He¬ 
brew Christians for their pattern; nay, some of them commenced 
to slander the Hebrew Christians (or Ebionites) as Judaizers and 

* Eusebius in b. 3:33 says: “So great a persecution . . .” 
For it w^s the first general persecution. But in chapter 35 he tells 
us further that “at that time there were great numbers from the Cir¬ 
cumcision that came over to the Christian faith, of whom Justus was 
one.” This is a further testimony of the calling of the elect in haste 
from the seed of Jacob. The fulfillment of the prophecy of Jesus 
concerning the destruction of the temple had a great bearing on this. 
Moreover, the Gospel was yet preached in its purity. Hegesippus’ 
testimony, what little is preserved in Euseb. b. 3, ch. 32 and 33, over¬ 
throws the slanders that later on were heaped on the teaching of the 
Ebionite (or Hebrew) Christians. (Hegesippus wrote about A. D. 
130.) J 



146 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. IX. 


heretics, and also began to preach the word of God for wages. 
“Wheat and barley” being in the East the staff of life, they sym¬ 
bolize the word of God by which man lives. “Wine* and oil,” the 
great commodities in Eastern countries, represent the spiritual 
gifts of healing and prophesying and the sepaking in many tongues 
(Isa. 25:6, etc.). These gifts were not yet to pass away, but con¬ 
tinued in the primitive church until the gathering of the “unde¬ 
filed,” the 144,000 elect from the twelve tribes of Israel under these 
five seals, was finished. Since then those gifts have been wanting, 
or, at least, were exceedingly scarce. 

In Euseb. b. 5, ch. 7, we find Irenaeus’ testimony of the manifold 
gifts of the Spirit that were yet (public) in The Church at that 
time. And Eusebius adds: “that these gifts of different kinds also 
continued with those that were worthy until the times mentioned .” 
In book VI, ch. 7, he further says of the time about the reign of 
Caracalla and the episcopate of Victor in Home that at that time 
the appearance of Antichrist was in the mouths of the Christians 
generally, and that one Judas, especially, proclaimed that he was- 
at hand. This was the time when the papacy (which in Ch. VII 
we have shown to be the Antichrist of the Scripture) began first 
to stir and spread false doctrines and speak great words against 
the Most High and to change His law and to blaspheme those that 
walked in His commandments. In this we have another proof that 
God never left His people without witnesses and prophets. The 
Third Seal ended before the reign of Decius. 

The Fourth Seal. It commenced about the year 235, the year 
of the ascension of Decius to the Roman imperial dignity, and 
ended in 284 which was the first year of the reign of Diocletian. 
“And I looked, and behold, a pale horse, and his name that sat on 
him was Death, and. Hades followed with him. And power was 
given him t over the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword and 
with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earthX 
The election of members of the 144,000 from Abraham’s seed was 
to be ended under this seal. The terrible Decian persecutions 

* See Treatise on the Use of Wine from Hygienic and Religious 
Standpoints, published by J. Nuesch, Malvern, Ark. 

t It reads in the true version: “Power was given him ” (not 
them ); for it was death that had the power. And the Unseen, Hades, 
the grave, unavoidably followed with him, for the Bosom of the earth 
receives the dead. 



The First Five Seals: Rev . 6:1-11. 


147 


were not the only burdens of this seal. More disastrous even than 
they, were the attacks of slander on the truth, especially on the 
Hebrew Christians and the misinterpreting of their teaching, which 
was done by the rising papacy, especially through the philosophic 
schools, as for example that of Alexandria. This was the time of 
the suppression of Ebionite literature, the time when the Alex¬ 
andrians corrupted the text of this fourth seal which we have be¬ 
fore us. The Codex Alexandrinus reads here, “ . . . and his 

name that sat on him was called the Immortal . . . and over 

the fourth part of the beasts of the earth/’* And other corruptions 
they committed, for example: In the sixth seal they wrote, The 
stars of God fell, instead of: The stars of heaven fell, etc. Truth 
was trodden under foot. Therefore it is in the spiritual sense, not 
only according to the literal, that we must understand Sword and 
Hunger and Death and Beasts of the earth. The latter are men 
that are oppressors and tyrants, perverted and wicked men which 
did not hesitate even to corrupt the Revelation of God and to de¬ 
stroy most valuable writings of early Christians. For not only per¬ 
secutions from the pagans, and death and torture in theaters and 
shows, but also spiritual persecution from such as began to teach 
false doctrines, were arisen against the first election which now 
soon was to be ended. Hades is the Unseen world, the Bosom of 
the Earth, the Grave. The fourth part of the earth was the fourth 
part of the Roman empire that was woestricken under this seal, 
particularly all the Asiatic provinces, the countries where most of 
the Hebrew Christians were. 

At this time also Dionysius of Alexandria belittled the Rev¬ 
elation by saying that it is not in good language, that it contains 
“barbarous idioms and solecisms.” t 

* “The Immortal” instead of Death. This precisely fits now the 
teaching of the papacy that the millenium is in the past, that it was 
here from the sixth century to the time of the so-called Reformation 
while the Roman church had power to kill heretics. Notice the cun¬ 
ning of Satan! Did not God send them strong delusion? 2 Thess. 
2 : 11 . 

f See Euseb. b. 1, ch. 25. Thus again we see that we cannot rely 
on the so-called church fathers. However, we must also exercise 
charity toward them, seeing that since the most of Revelation was 
not fulfilled in their time they could not have understood it as we 
can at this time. The poet truly says, there are “things presented 
to our view, that priests and prophets never knew.” Even the faith- 



148 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. IX. 

The calling out of the 144,000, the members of the bridegroom, 
was finished under this sealand under the next, the fifth seal, the 
yet surviving remnant of them was gathered up “to God and to His 
throne,” Rev. 12:5. 

As to the second election, the election of members of the “innum¬ 
erable” bridecompany, it is yet going on during the present dispensa¬ 
tion, and does not close until the marriage of the Lamb, shortly 
before Christ’s second coming, Rev. ch. 19. 

Rev. 6:9-11 reads: “And when he had opened thd fifth seal 
I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word 
of God, and for the testimony which they held. And they cried 
with»a loud voice, How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, doest Thou not 
avenge our blood on them■ that dwell on the earth? And white' 
robes were given unto every one of them,; and it was said untch 
them, that they should rest yet a little season, until their fellow h 
servants also, and their brethren that should be killed as they were, 
should be fulfilled ” 

This seal coincided with the reigns of Galerius and Diocletian. 
Under it the conflict between Roman paganism and the Church of 
God, and also the gathering of the last remnant of the 144,000, was 
ended and was immediately followed by the proclamation of the 
Edict of Toleration. Until all this was accomplished the great 
storms were yet held back that burst forth under the sixth seal. It 
was a special mercy of God that paganism was entirely overthrown 
before the barbarians overwhelmed the Roman empire; for so the 
word of God was at the same time preached to the invaders. But 


ful Irenseus accepted the false tradition handed down by Josephus 
that the translation of the Seventy was inspired. We have shown 
before that the said translation proves in itself by the misunder¬ 
standing of certain prophetic symbols that the Seventy were not 
inspired. Of course Irenaeus, who lived in the second century, could 
not have understood the sixth seal. More and more we gain the 4 
conviction that we cannot perfectly depend on any of the “church 
fathers,” so-called, and that we must rely solely on the Holy Scrip¬ 
tures in the original tongues and on the testimony of history. 
Eusebius also slandered the Ebionites, see b. 3, ch. 27. But above all 
Alexandria was a broodnest over which Satan sat and hatched his 
basilisk eggs. There were men who could talk piously and pray that 
it seemed to the listener as though with the unction of the Holy 
Spirit, and who were regarded of the public as saints, and yet were 
beset with pride and other manner of evil. But they are known by 
their works. Matt. 7:16-22. 



The First Five Seals: Rev. 6:1-11. 


149 


also the great controversies and winds of false doctrines, which 
before the proclamation of the Edict of Toleration could not become 
so general, were now spread over all the earth. 

Under this fifth seal the last remnant of the members of the 
manchild, whose head is Christ, were caught up to God, and they 
were sealed with their brethren with whom they shall reign on the 
earth when the time comes which the Father has put in His Own 
power. 

The burden of this seal affected almost exclusively the East, 
which was the principal abode of the so-called Ebionites; the de¬ 
scendants of the primitive Hebrew Christians. A terrible perse¬ 
cution of pagan Rome, lasting full ten years, five thereof under 
Maximin, was yet waged against the Christians of Asia while in 
the West all persecutions had ceased. See Euseb. Eccl. History, 
book 8. In the West the papal doctrines prevailed; the powers of 
darkness contended not with them. But the East, and chiefly Asia 
Minor, was the country where the advancement of the papacy was 
yet resisted, where the first fruits from the Circumcision were gath¬ 
ered, and where, under this seal, the remnant gathering of the 
144,000 was chiefly finished. Then their warfare was over. When 
this was done their whole number was sealed before the throne of 
God. Therefore the opening of this seal brought yet that little 
season during which the remnant of the martyrs of the elect spir¬ 
itual male body of Christ, the bridegroom, was yet to be perfected 
(by suffering) until the number was full. Then was the time at 
hand that God should overthrow the pagan power. 

The exegesis of Rev. ch 12 has already shown that the 144,000 
( of ch. 7 and ch. 14) are the members of the spiritual male body 
of Christ, or bridegroom. These filled up the sufferings of Christ, 
that, as Paul says, “were yet behind.” The Altar upon which they 
all suffered was the earth. The earth drank the blood of the 
martyrs. The martyrs did not call for vengeance; but, like the 
blood of Abel, so the blood of the “companions in the kingdom and 
patience of Jesus Christ” cried figuratively from the earth to a just 
God for that vengeance which came under the next seal upon the 
old pagan Roman empire. Compare the Scriptures “The life of 
the flesh is in the blood thereof,” etc. 

If it was true that those which are outside of Christ should 
not die, but should be tormented in literal fire, as soon as the 
breath leaves the body, what greater vengeance could the cruelest 


150 Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 

of men devise to come on his enemies ? and anyway, do Christians 
pray for vengeance? No. Such is not the sense of the above- 
mentioned prophecy. It was figuratively the blood of the martyrs 
that cried to God for that judgment which came when the next 
seal w r as opened. 

The exegesis of the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus will be 
found in Ch. XXIV. In the time of the fourth and fifth seals 
Alexandria was yet far ahead on the way of the papacy, even of Rome 
herself. There also, at the beginning of the sixth seal, the great 
controversy arose between Arius and Athanasius on the doctrine of 
the Homoousion. 


Chapter X. 

Tbe Sixth Seal; Bev. 6:12-17. 

This seal contained the prophecy of the great storms that swept 
over the earth as soon as the full number of the 144,000 elect had 
been gathered. We view under this seal the fall of paganism, the 
great struggle between Arians and Homoousianists and the rising 
of the papacy. But in civil respects we view under it the fall of 
the Roman empire which became evident and was first publicly no¬ 
ticed in the ignominious treaty with Persia upon the death of Ju¬ 
lian. In consequence of its great burdens the symbolic language of 
this seal is so sublime that most people understood it to be a proph¬ 
ecy of the end of all earthly things. But it was not. The fulfilment 
of this prophecy commenced in the fourth century, in 313, just as 
soon as the burden of the fifth seal was ended. 

The sixth seal is not going to be opened yet in the future, 
as some erroneously contend; but it coincided with the fall of 
paganism and the rapid rising of false doctrines and false churches. 
The seventh seal (being the longest and reaching until the return 
of Christ) has already been opened. All Bible students admit that 
the seventh seal has already been opened and that several of 
its burdens have been delivered many centuries ago. It is impos¬ 
sible that the sixth is not in the past. It reads: 

'And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there 
was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of 
hair, and the moon became as blood ; and the stars of heaven fell 



The Sixth Seal: Rev. 6:12-17. 


151 


unto the earth, even as a figtree casteth her untimely figs, when she 
is shaken of a mighty wind . And the heaven departed as a scroll 
when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were 
moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the 
great men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves 
in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the moun¬ 
tains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him that 
sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the 
great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?' ” 

The burden of this seal is the announcement of a great earth¬ 
quake, the going out of the sun and moon, the falling of the stars 
and the departing of the heaven, and the great fear of men in the 
sight of these things. 

By consulting Ch. I, on the Language of Prophecy, we find 
that earthquakes signify great commotions among the nations, 
and that sun and moon symbolize the religious and civil powers. 
Stars are great men, and heaven is the seat of ruling powers. 
Knowing this, we are able to show that this seal contained the 
prophecy of the fall of the pagan religion and the civil power of 
the Roman empire, and the rise of the popedom and of the ten 
horns of Daniel, or the kingdoms that gained possession of the 
Roman empire. It ended in 486 with the conquest of the last 
remnant of the Roman empire by Clovis, king of Franks. 

This seal portended the complete annihilation of the Roman 
empire. Its sun, the pagan religious power, and its moon, the civil 
government, went out in like manner as the Scripture speaks of 
the going out of the sun and moon of ancient Egypt and of the old 
kingdom of the Chaldees* when those kingdoms were destroyed. 

The stars of Rome were the senators, governors, consuls and 
all the great men of the government. They fell to the earth, that 
is to the level of common people or subjects; and all classes of men 
expected the last judgment immediately to come. According to 
DanieFs prophecy the Roman empire was to be the last dominion 
which alone extended as far as God’s truth had ever been preached 
in the world; and its overthrow was foretold in exactly the same 
figurative language as the overthrow of those empires that pre¬ 
ceded it. 

The old pagan religion, the sun of the old Romans, passed 
away before the moon, or civil government. The knowledge of the 


* See Ez. 32:7,8; Isa. ch. 13. 



152 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. X. 


true God and the gospel of Christ had been preached throughout 
the Roman world and had gotten the victory over paganism long 
before the civil government was overturned. The Romans there¬ 
fore knew Him that sittcth on the throne and ruleth over all. They 
saw the hand of God in the great distress of their government 
which had been the ruling power cf the world. And seeing it suc¬ 
cumb under the incessant onslaughts of hordes of barbarous in¬ 
vaders, they hid themselves in fortified places and behind the 
walls of their cities to seek protection against the conquerors whom 
they looked upon as precursors of the dissolution of the globe and 
the last judgment. But History shows that while the multitudes 
were in great anguish looking for the speedy end of all things, some 
teachers and students of the Scripture were not ignorant, but un¬ 
derstood the symbolic language of prophecy and apprehended the 
significance of these events. The majority of the people and rulers, 
however, did not understand. Who, therefore, said that the great 
day of God’s wrath was come? Did the Lord say it? No; the 
prophecy says that men said these words. 

Strange, that some say Micah, 4:1-4, does not state the word of 
the Lord, but the words of men (though it says that the Lord (Him¬ 
self) has spoken it) while they do not notice here the plain truth, 
that it was the people (according to verse 16) that expected the end 
of all things, and that it was not the Lord that announced it. Those 
commentators did not rightly divide the Scripture. By saying that 
in Micah the Lord did not say, “They shall sit every one under his 
own vine and fig tree,” they cut off in verse 4 the words, “For the 
mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.” Thus they became 
thieves and robbers, taking away God’s word. John, 10:8. 

The great commotions among the nations from 313 to 486, the 
distress of mankind (which was so great in those days of endless 
wars that starving women were seen pulling the plow for want 
and for the scarcity of men and cattle), the disappearing of the old 
heaven or supreme government which had so long been established 
over the world as far as any Jews and Christians were scattered, 
the overthrow of the pagan-Roman religion, the rise of popery, 
with its saint worship and manmade changes in the law of God and 
its aggressions upon the pure doctrines that still prevailed in many 
church communities, and lastly the destruction of Rome’s political 
power, the fall of its great statesmen and the establishment of the 
modern kingdoms: these are the contents of this seal. This was 
the time of Attila and his Huns; of Alarich, the destroyer of Greece 


The Sixth Seal: Rev. 6:12-17. 


153 


and Italy; of Geiserich and his Yandals who conquered Africa and 
the Mediterranean isles: of the conquest of Italy by the Heruli, and 
the defeat of the last surviving Roman governor in Gallia by the 
Franks in 486. 

Verses 15, 16 and 17 prove plainly (and in harmony with 
history) that first of all, at the beginning of the seal, paganism 
was overthrown, and that those of the barbarian invaders that were 
not already christianized, became so immediately upon their set¬ 
tlement inside'the provinces of Rome. No fact is better established. 
History tells us also, that in the awful revolutions of those days a 
great fear and unrest in expectation of Christ’s soon coming had 
taken hold of the minds of all the multitudes and their leaders. 
All men, Roman as well as Barbarian, truly realized that this was 
the judgment of God upon Rome, the mistress of the world. But 
in looking also for the end of -all things the world was mistaken. 
The Scripture did not teach this for that time. 

It is absurd to imagine that the sixth seal is not yet opened, 
after so many things that belong under the seventh seal are already 
in the past. Those who say the sixth seal is yet to be opened, and 
that it is a prophecy of the last judgment, are teaching confusion 
and are far behind in theological and historical matters. The 
History of the Fall of Rome, vol. Ill, p. 289 (Milman’s) shows 
that Gibbon very probably understood the sixth seal* while some 
of the clergy themselves were led astray, being tempted to look 
for the end of the world. He says, “The clergy, who applied to 
recent events the lofty metaphors of Oriental prophecy, were some¬ 
time tempted to confound the destruction of the capital and the 
dissolution of the globe.” 

Mountains figuratively stand for kingdoms and also for kings 
and governors. This is proven in Ch. I. Therefore Dens represent 
political combinations; and Rocks are great chiefs and men of 
authority on whom the Roman citizens relied for protection. Re¬ 
member, the Roman world was no longer pagan at that time, but 
Christian. They could not expect to hide from God Himself; but 


* Yes, he, whom they call an Infidel, seems to have understood 
this prophecy while the great “theologians” of the Episcopalians (and 
other Protestants) by whom he is so often attacked, did not under¬ 
stand this. Gibbon’s writings show further that he favored the belief 
in the millennium, and further, that he ridiculed the doctrine of the 
Homoousion. So much here to his credit. 



154 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. X. 


they looked to their great men and their diplomatic craft to shelter 
them from the barbarians which God had sent to destroy the Roman 
empire. The mighty conquerors, Alarich the Goth, and Attila, king 
of the Huns, who called Himself The Scourge of God, and espe¬ 
cially Geiserich, the Vandal, have often said, that it was the retri¬ 
butive judgment of God, which, as a divine fury in them, gave 
them no rest, but forced them to invade the Roman territories. We 
already mentioned that the coming of Christ and the setting up of 
his millennial kingdom was generally expected to appear immedi¬ 
ately in those days.* By looking up the testimony of history and 
knowing the meaning of prophetic symbols we find the perfect ful¬ 
filment of verses 16 and 17, how the trembling Romans implored 
the mountains to hide them. They and their own rulers besought 
certain great chiefs of other nation® to shelter them from the calam¬ 
ities of new invasions which they continually expected. For those 
days were full of terror and confusion. Kingdoms arose and were 
uprooted, and nations followed nations in supplanting and destroy¬ 
ing one another. The Byzantine empire was the first fragment that 
fell from old Rome. And at last all the rest, the whole heaven 
and all its powers which had ruled the world, departed like a 
scroll when it is rolled together. “And every mountain and island 
were removed out of their places,” for all the kingdoms which 
Rome had subdued during her long reign, and every province, 
escaped from her and came into the possession of new powers and 
governments. The expression that the kings of the earth, and the 
great men . . . and every bondman . . . hid them¬ 

selves from God shows in itself that it cannot be literal; for how 
could they hide themselves from God? But they tried to protect 
themselves from the constantly coming new incursions which by 
the will of God laid waste the Roman empire. They implored the 
mountains, the rulers and kingdoms that already were about them, 
that they might shield them from other incursions which threat¬ 
ened them with new disasters. History tells us, that in order to 
procure such protection the Byzantine emperors and governors 

* The belief in a coming millennium, although so clearly foretold 
in ancient prophecy and at last also in John’s Revelation, had been 
rejected by the majority of the Gentiles before the great invasions 
of the foreign nations had commenced, and then, after the time of 
this seal was passed and Rome was fallen, it was rejected again, 
and is yet rejected by some sects at the present day. 



The Sixth Seal: Rev. 6:12-17. 


155 


often hired barbarian kings and nations, for example the Ostro¬ 
goths, and paid them large sums of money. They looked to those 
mountains for help and protection, to keep other nations off. 
Stilicho, the West Homan governor, hired the Visigoths with large 
sums for the same purpose,* etc. 

In particular we must yet notice that under the sixth seal the 
true church was gradually pushed aside by the intolerant spirit of 
the rising papacy. Image and saint-worship and other transgres¬ 
sions began to spread, t Immediately after Christianity had gained 
the victory over paganism the persecuting spirit of popery sought 
to influence the worldly powers to lend their help in setting up a 
hierarchy after the Mosaic pattern This was accomplished when 
the sixth seal was ended. Then the Dark Ages with their great 
religious persecutions set in, and the undefiled woman, that is the 
true church, which stands by Divine authority and teaches obedi¬ 
ence to the Divine commandments, was pushed aside, and she 
fled into the wilderness, following her children—“following the 
footsteps of the flock into the valleys of the shepherds.” 

The interpretation of the sixth seal proves again, that the / 
symbols of prophecy are the same throughout all the Scripture. 
All is harmony/ The first part of Matth. 24 up to v. 30 is parallel 
with Rev. ch. 6 and ch. 12:1-4. Writers of profane history have 
sometimes used those symbols. Probably ignorant of their high 
significance, they undoubtedly were compelled to utter them under 
the influence of God ? s spirit for the purpose that men might be 
helped to understand the Divine prophecies and the significance of 
the great events in the history of nations. Gibbon used some of 
those terms quite often; and Jerom writing of Alarich’s invasion 
and sacking of the capital laments the fall of Rome, saying, 

* But it turned to Stilicho’s own damage. 

-j- The first serious damage to non-Roman Catholics occurred in 
France. And it is not unimportant to notice that Clovis, who had 
murdered the chiefs of his nation in order to secure the throne for 
his own family, received from the Roman clergy the title of “The 
Most Christian King” because of his partiality for the pope and the 
zeal he manifested against the Arians whose religious views (being 
anti-papal) he made a pretext for robbing them of their lands. The 
said title was retained by all the kings of France. Thus they did 
like all the English sovereigns who retained the title “Defender of 
the Faith,” given by the pope to Henry VIII for his having defended 
the doctrines of the papacy at the beginning, of his reign. 



156 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. X. 


“Earth’s brightest light is extinguished.” (Clarissimum terrarum 
lumen extinctum est.)* 

The foregoing statements prove that the sixth seal is in the 
past, and that it embraced the time of the extinction of the Roman 
empire. With the year 313 began the fall of Roman paganism and 
in 486 also Rome’s political ruin was accomplished. This period of 
173 years covers the time of the continuous struggle and progress 
of the papacy toward being favored and succored by the political 
powers. The next 45 years, however, brought for the papacy unex¬ 
pected humiliation, a grievous and open wound which it received 
through the establishment of the Arian powers. But at the end of 
the 45 years the papacy received help, and its wound was healed 
again as suddenly and as unexpectedly as it had been inflicted. 
And the papacy received greater authority than it ever had before, 
so that “all the world icondered after the beast ” Rev. 13 :3. 

But even now, while thinking this chapter was finished and 
that a full exposition had beeen given, the thought presents itself 
that the burden of the sixth seal was not ended in 486, but that it 
endured until 531, thus including the just-mentioned 45 years. 
History tells us that not all the stars did immediately reach the 
earth in their fall after the moon no longer gave her light. His¬ 
tory shows that the dignity of some Roman senators and ancient 
illustrious families was yet respected by Theodoric, the Gothic king 
of Italy, and that those families had at that time not yet begun to 
intermarry with aliens. Therefore the sixth seal cannot have ended 
until the great turn of affairs in favor of the papal power had ar¬ 
rived (in 531, when Justinian’s war with Persia was ended and he 
began to materialize his plans to succor the papacy), and that, 
although the opening of the seventh seal falls in the year 492, the 
burdens of the sixth seal were even then not all delivered, but lasted 

* We must, however, not overlook the fact that all of those 
prophecies relating to the fall of Babylon, Egypt and Rome have a 
twofold fulfillment. For, symbolically, Egypt refers also to the 
whole benighted world, and Babylon refers to the apostate church. 
And inasmuch as old Israel refers to the church state system in the 
coming millennium, and Israel and Judah became subject to Rome, 
Rome became the figurative (political) heaven of the Jews. Even so 
Rome refers to the entire so-called Christian world. But as Israel 
is a symbol of good and truth and righteousness, and Rome is a 
symbol of error and falsehood, therefore Rome must also apply to 
the false system, or nominal Christendom.—A. Raleigh. 



Exposition of Heavenly Truths . 


157 


39 years longer (531). The prophecy of Jesus in Matth. 24:29 and 
the prophecy concerning the sixth seal, which both alike cover the 
period of the overthrow of the Roman world, is clearly divided into 
three distinct epochs. First, the sun, that is the religion of the 
Roman state, was extinguished. This occurred about the end of 
Julian’s reign, about 379, namely 66 years after Constantine had 
issued the edict of toleration for the Christian religion. Secondly, 
the extinction of the moon, the complete destruction of the polit¬ 
ical power of Rome, took place in 486; and third, in about 45 years 
thereafter the great men of ancient Rome had disappeared, having 
become amalgamated with the clay of the so-called barbarians.* 
Not until then were all the stars fallen to the ground and had com¬ 
pletely lost their luster. The sixth seal therefore covers a time of 
218 years. 

* See Ch. XX concerning Dan. 2:43. 


Chapter XI. 

The Sealing of the Hundred and Forty-Four Thousand. 

Rev. 7:1-5 reads: “And after these things I saw four angels 
standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds 
of the earth , that the wind should not blow on the earth , nor on 
the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from 
the east , having the seal of the living God; and he cried with a, 
loud voice to the four angels to. whom it was given to hurt thdi 
earth and the sea , saying , Hurt hot the earth , neither the seat* 
neither the trees, till we have sealed the servants of God in their 
foreheads. And I heard the number of them that were sealed; and 
there were sealed a hundred and forty-four thousand of 
all the tribes of the children of Israel.” 

Before the opening of the seventh seal John saw yet this vision, 
rather two visions, concerning the two elections to the special high 
calling in Christ Jesus.* The first election was from the children 
of Israel out of all nations among whom they were scattered, and 
the second is from all nations , Rev. 7:9. The first election brought 

* The salvation from the wages of sin and the restitution to the 
state that was lost in Adam is the common salvation. Rom. ch. 11; 
Ez. 16:44-63, etc. But there is a special inheritance, 1 Tim. 4:10; Rom. 
8:28-30, etc. 





158 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XI. 


forth the members of the bridegroom, the "Male Son” (orig. of 
Rev. ch. 12:5, King James’ version "Manchild”—his head is Jesus) 
that was "caught up to God and to His throne,” having been gath¬ 
ered as "a kind of first fruits of God’s creatures,” James 1:1-18, 
etc. This election was accomplished before the sixth seal was 
opened. Jesus is the refiner, Mai. 3:3, who gathered his elect in 
the days of the primitive church, them that kept God’s command¬ 
ments, Mai. ch. 4; and they shall reign with him, Matth. 19:28, 
etc. The second election, verses 9 to 17, which is for the innumer¬ 
able company that constitutes the bride, is to go on until shortly 
before Christ’s return. 

The 144,000 were the members of the spiritual manchild or 
malebody of Christ brought forth by the spiritual woman of Rev. 
ch. 12, which is the Church of God. The 144,000 kept all of God’s 
commandments, save the sacrificial law of the old covenant. They 
were gathered only out of the twelve tribes of Israel, being the only 
followers of Christ that kept all the commandments of God; and 
in their mouth was no guile, and they follow the Lamb whither¬ 
soever he goeth. And they shall return with him and have part 
of his kingdom; Matth. 19:28; Rev. 5:10, etc. The innumerable 
bride company however is gathered out of all nations, both of the 
children of Israel and of all the Gentiles that took hold of the cov¬ 
enant in Christ Jesus. Their gathering was to continue during the 
.entire length of the prensent dispensation, but the 144,000 were 
already sealed ere the four angels let loose the winds of the earth 
which burst over the Roman empire. Already then their number 
was full; none should be added an}^ more. God, who had begotten 
them, received them from His Church, born as members of that 
spiritual body whereof Jesus is the head. They were sealed; none 
of them could be lost any more, no power could separate them from 
Jesus, their head; for they were caught up to God and to His 
throne. These were the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb, 
Rev. 14:4. But the number of the bridecompany will not be full 
until shortly before the return of Christ. 

The angel who had the seal of God concerning the 144,000, 
ascended from the east. From the east to the west the glad tidings 
of the coming kingdom of God weie preached in the first centuries 
until the whole Roman world had heard them. From the east came 
the majority of the 144,000. After Christianity had suffered 
through the Neronian persecutions so much, that, as Tacitus shows, 


The Sealing of the 144000: Rev. 7:1-8. 


159 


it had become almost unknown in Rome, the gospel was dissem¬ 
inated the second time from the east, chiefly from Asia Minor, and 
brought to the west. 

The 144,000 were gathered according to the promise which 
God gave to Abraham when He gave him the sign of circumcision 
and said, that in his seed should all the families of the earth be 
blessed (namely through Christ and his spiritual members, even 
these saints, the 144,0000). These were they who had not been 
defiled by “women” (false churches), hut walked in all the com¬ 
mandments of the Father, even as Christ walked (1 John 2:6), and 
that shall be kings and priests, sitting on thrones when Christ shall 
come in his kingdom with power. * 

The vision in verses 1-5 of Rev. ch. 7 was necessary to supple¬ 
ment the fifth seal. For the 144,000 were elected during the first 
two centuries of the Gospel Age out of the Hebrew congregations 
before the opening of the sixth seal. The edict which insured the 
toleration of the religion of Christ in the Roman empire was not 
proclaimed until the last remnant of the 144,000 had been gath¬ 
ered, A. D. 313, the year of the end of the fifth seal. The dissem¬ 
ination of false doctrines had therefore yet been impeded to a great 
extent until that time. Ho churches could get help from any state 
powers as long as the state religion was pagan. For this very cause 
the first corruption that entered Christian communities was con¬ 
cerning the Sabbath. The most extraordinary commandment of 
God, the one that distinguishes men from the world, publicly, more 
than any other, is the observance o 1 the Sabbath day; because from 
remote antiquity the day of the Sun, or first day of the week was 
the festival day of the heathen world. Until the end of the gath¬ 
ering of the 144,000, namely until the proclamation of Toleration, 
the Sabbath was yet kept bv all Christians, as History shows, even 
also in the West. But toward the end of the second century the 
Gentile Christians had in addition commenced to keep also the first 
day of the week as a festival and public meeting day; and the bish¬ 
ops of Rome, in order to strengthen the keeping of Sunday and to 
make the Sabbath odious to the people in view of abolishing it, had 
recommended and used the Sabbath for a day of fasting, f This 

* See Dan. 7:27; Matt. 19:28; Acts, 3:20; Ps. 149, etc, and com¬ 
pare also with Ch. XVIII and Ch. XIX. 

f See notes to Ch. XVI, § 2. 



160 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XL 


was as far as the papacy as yet could proceed; for the power of 
paganism prevented the papacy yet from enforcing her doctrines. 
But when the pagan power was fallen and the 144,000 elect had 
been caught up to God and His throne, then came the time for the 
papacy to arise and receive strength. Violent winds of dispute 
started almost everywhere and distracted all Christendom. Then 
the papacy began to anathematize the Hebrew Christians for their 
resistance against her innovations. Then, at the council of Nice, 
the doctrine of the Homoousion was set up together with certain 
laws that elevated Sunday observance and abased the Sabbath still 
more, such as moving the day of Easter and setting it so as to fall 
thenceforth always on Sundays, etc The Gentiles began to ignore 
God’s fundamental law through their doctrine of the Homoousion. 
On the strength thereof thev began to say that Christ had power to 
change the law of God and that he did, and that he also gave the 
Church authority to do the same. Thus really the first command¬ 
ment of the decalogue was abolished. Therefore by and by the 
Sabbath was entirely dropped, the primacy of St. Peter to change 
times and laws was established, saint worship also was introduced, 
the second, third and fourth commandments were ignored, and 
later on also the doctrines of the purgatory, mass reading, infant 
baptism, etc., sprang up, and finally with fire and sword were 
those persecuted who kept the commandments of God and valued 
the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy. Thus did 
the beast blaspheme the Name of God and them that are in heaven, 
as it is written in Rev. 13:6; Dan. 7, etc. The 144,000 elect in 
heaven were branded as Ebionite heretics and Judaizers and 
esteemed as men that had been far behind in Christian knowledge. 
Thus did the papal party unto the Hebrew Christians, unto them 
into whose fellowship the Gentiles were at first glad to have been 
admitted; and councils after councils were convoked, and new and 
abomidable doctrines were enacted. In our own time many so- 
called theologians yet talk of Christian evolution and of the king¬ 
dom of God as being already openly manifest on this earth which 
is full of violence, saying further, that in the days of the apostles 
the Christian doctrines were yet crude and imperfect. Especially 
do they twist Paul’s letters. And the Revelation which is, indeed, 
the word of God (Rev. 1:1) is a thorn in their eyes. 

That the sealing of the 144,000 from the tribes of Israel is 
in the past ever since the year 313, and that the view held by some 


Exposition o f Heavenly Truths. 


161 


that they are being gathered now is without foundation and con¬ 
trary to Scripture and History is bound to be seen: 

(1) From the holding back of the four winds until the 144,- 
000 were sealed. 

(2) From the short time given for the delivery of the bur¬ 
dens under the first five seals. Four were delivered by horses, 
symbolically swift messengers, and the fifth was particularly 
announced as covering but a short season. 

(3) From the History of the Ebionites or Hebrew Christians. 

(4) From the interpretation of the sixth seal. 

(5) From the fact that John saw this vision before the 
seventh seal was opened, etc. 

The storm which overwhelmed the Roman empire broke 
when the last of the 144,000 had been gathered'and were sealed in 
heaven. Probably not knowing that he was explaining some symbolic 
language of prophecy, Gibbon speaks of that time, saying: “A furi¬ 
ous tempest was excited among the nations of Germany. . . . 

They achieved the destruction of the West. The dark cloud which 
was collected along the coast of the Baltic burst in thunder upon 
the banks of the Danube.” 


Chapter XII. 

The Overthrow of the Arian Kingdoms; or, The Commence¬ 
ment of the Seventh Seal. 

The eighth chapter of Revelation informs us of the first event 
that followed the opening of the seventh seal, namely, the fall of 
the Arian kingdoms which commenced in 492 with the fall of the 
kingdom of the Heruli in Italy. The Arian nations had stood in 
the way of the papacy, and had even endangered its existence. The 
kingdoms of these nations, which became established toward the 
end of the fifth century, inflicted a grievous wound on the papacy, 
because they upheld religious liberty and therefore were anti-papal; 
and only through the destruction of those kingdoms and the de¬ 
struction of religious liberty could the papacy rise again, and attain 
the healing of its wound. Rev. 3:3; Dan. 7 :8, 24. The history of 
the extinction of Arian power covers a space of 136 years ending 



162 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XII. 


in 628,* and involved one-third of the territory of the former Ro¬ 
man empire, namely, Italy, North Africa and Spain.t 

This prophecy tells us that there were four angels, and that 
one-third of a certain territory was woestricken under each one of 
them. We shall prove that this territory was in the possession of 
the so-called Arian, that is Non-Roman Catholic, nations; and 
that the religious power of the Arians on these three territories 
made up the three horns which, according to Daniel’s prophecy, 
were plucked up before the eyes of the little horn, which is the 
papacy.f The papacy was indeed very weak and little in the days 
of the rule of the Arian powers, and- did not become great until the 
said powers began to be destroyed. According to Rev. ch. 8 there 
were four separate destructions under four angels. Nevertheless 
there were only three territories involved; and these together made 
up one-third of the former Roman empire w r hich, as yet, contained 
all the countries of Christendom. It is a fact that there were 
never at the same time more than three Arian kingdoms on the ter¬ 
ritory of the old Roman empire; and under each one of the four 
angels there was one-third of them annihilated. When under the 
first angel the Arian kingdom and nation of the Heruli in Italy 
was destroyed, its place was forthwith supplanted by another Arian 
nation which was afterward destroyed under the third angel. There¬ 
fore, there were four burdens but only three territories, two burdens 
upon Italy, one on North Africa, one on Spain. In this we have 
again an example of the harmony of Scriptural testimonies which 
appear at first as if they were contradicting themselves. The 
plucking up of the three horns of Daniel ch. 7 is the destruction of 
the religious power of the Arians oi^ the three territories, and agrees 
with the burdens of the four angels. And the little horn of Dan. 
ch. 7 is the papacy. 

When the seventh seal was opened there were three independent 
Arian kingdoms, namely, the Vandal kingdom of Africa, the king¬ 
dom of the Heruli in Italy, and the Visigothic kingdom extending 

* This was the year of the fall of Chosroes, king of Persia. His 
fall made room for the great expansion of Mohammedanism; 
Rev. 9:1. 

f The Arian kingdom of Italy in the time of the Ostrogoths in¬ 
cluded also Illyria, and that of Spain possessed in the beginning also 
what is now called Southern France. 

% See Dan. 7:8, 24. 



The Overthrow of the Arian Kingdoms: Rev. Ch. 8. 163 


over Spain and the South of Gaul. Under the first angel (v. 7) the 
kingdom of the Heruli in Italy fell (492). In its stead, however, 
established itself that of the Ostrogoths, which was even more 
powerful and ruled not only over the same territory, but also fur¬ 
ther Northeast: so that there was as yet no relief for the distress 
of the popedom. The Heruli and Ostrogoths were in their turn 
each in possession of the same territory. They formed together 
the Arian horn, or power, thot stretched over Italy, and proved the 
most disastrous to the papacy. 

As to v. 7 and its symbols: Trees are great men according to 
many passages of the Scripture. Therefore by the trees that were 
destroyed we recognize the nobles of the Heruli. The Heruli were 
at this time one-third of the Arian powers on Roman territory. 
These trees therefore were “one-third” of all the Arian nobles and 
great men on Roman territory. Italy was one-third. North Africa 
and the islands in the Mediterranean was the second, and Spain 
was the third third of the central part, or one third, of the Roman 
empire. Grass is lower than trees; therefore under the metaphor 
or Burnt Grass is meant the common people of the nation of the 
Heruli which disappeared without even leaving a trace. However 
the Ostrogoths immediately filled their place. Therefore there were 
still the three Arian kingdoms. These together occupied one-third 
of the whole of the old Roman empire; reckoning (1) Italy with 
Illyria, (2) Spain, and (3) North Africa, as the first part of the 
whole; the Eastern provinces as the second, and Gaul, Britain and 
Southwest Germany as the third third. 

The second angel’s burden (v. 8 and 9) was the extinction 
of the Vandal kingdom (North Africa) : one-third of the then ex¬ 
isting great Arian kingdoms. Its destruction was accomplished 
through the armies of Justinian, the Byzantine emperor, in 534. 
This insured the victory of the papacy in North Africa and the 
islands; and religious liberty was ruined in all those parts through 
the persecutions set on foot according to the severe code of Jus¬ 
tinian. The prophecy specially mentions here the destruction of 
one-third of the ships. The Vandal navy was the largest known at 
that time. The sea, however, denotes here, as elsewhere, restless 
warfaring nations. A mountain is a kingdom (also a king, or 
great commander); and waters are nations. (See Ch. 1.) The 
Arian nations were indeed a sea of warfaring nations that had the 
greatest share in destroying the Roman empire. And now, as it 


164 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XII. 

were, they were drowned in blood. The living creatures in that 
sea were the great leaders that gave life and impulse to the actions 
of those nations. The burden of v. 8 and 9 therefore was on one- 
third of that sea. 

The third angel’s burden (v 10 and 11) was the overthrow 
of the second third of said kingdoms that had yet sheltered and re¬ 
spected religious liberties, namely, that of the Ostrogoths. Its 
ruin was likewise achieved through Justinian’s armies in 555 after 
a long and changeful war. Thus the popedom had also gained 
Italy; and only Spain was yet left free. 

The fourth angel’s burden (v. 12) was the announcement of 
the destruction of the last one of the three strongholds and asylums 
for religious liberty, Spain, where all that were persecuted for con¬ 
science sake had yet found refuge. That lone Arian horn in the 
West, the last to succumb, had already been attacked in Gaul by 
Clovis, king of the Franks, before Justinian had made war on the 
others; and the sons of Clovis succeeded to push the Visigoths across 
the Pyrenees, but could not overcome them beyond.* Finally, 
however, it came to pass through treason of Hermenegild, the king’s 
son, rising against his father, and the revolution thereupon fol¬ 
lowing, that the papal party, aided by intrigue and slander, gained 
the upper hand (like it did in the middle of the sixteenth century 
in Germany). The final result was, that the Visigothic nobility 
and rulers lost both their spiritual and political independence. 
Being won over to the doctrines of the pope of Rome, they became 
thenceforth servants of the Roman hierarchy. Thus Arianism, 
so-called, was extirpated in Spain also. The great struggle in Spain 
found its conclusion in 586 under pope Gregory who, at the same 
time, also succeeded to extinguish the last sparks of Arianism 
among the Langobards that lately had come into the North of Italy. 

Having become victorious, the papacy now had leisure to 
spread its doctrines everywhere, and was enabled to establish also 
among the pagan Anglo-Saxons, a mission which antagonized and 


* Historians contend that the Burgundians were but a branch of 
the Visigoths. In France, where the first great persecution against 
the Arian cause and Christian liberty in general was begun, even 
there was dealt the first blow of retribution against the pernicious 
union of state and impure church. This was done in the revolution 
of the eighteenth century through the agency of atheism, the beast 
of the bottomless pit. 



The Overthrow of the Arian Kingdoms: Rev . Ch. 8 . 165 


soon overwhelmed the Christian communities in old Britain. The 
free communities in Scotland and Ireland were also by subtle means 
gradually brought under the papacy, so that the later work of the 
conversion of the pagan tribes in the interior of Germany, which 
was carried on by missionaries from Ireland and England (Colum- 
ban, Gallus, Winfrid and others) was from the very beginning also 
under the influence of Borne. Thus there was no country in all 
Europe left that was not caught in the net of the popedom. The 
Arian powers in Italy, North Africa and Spain were the three 
horns of Daniel. The prophecy concerning them was fulfilled 
when the four angels of Rev. ch 8 sounded. Even by this also 
do we know that the papacy is the apostate church and that the 
Homoousion is the most pernicious of all doctrines. The papacy 
is that horn in Daniel’s prophecy which uttered great words against 
the Most High and thought to change times and laws; and the 
three horns that stood in her way were those that rejected her 
doctrine. 

The Arians called themselves Catholics. The name Arian was 
given them by the Roman Catholics, although they admit themselves 
that the so-called Arian, or Anti-Homoousion belief did not originate 
with Arius, but that the ancient communities of Hebrew Christians, 
the so-called Ebionites, and the community of Jerusalem had held the 
same . (See Algog’s Roman Catholic Church History, Vol. I, Part I, 
Ep. 1, Per. 1, chapter 5.) The doctrine of the Homoousion in the 
Trinity, which was set up by the council of Nice, attributes to Christ 
power over the commandments of God. On this then was built the 
doctrine that Christ gave the (Roman) church power, even beyond 
his own teaching, and that men must believe whatsoever the Roman 
Catholic church teaches, whether it be written in the Bible or not, 
and that whosoever does not believe in the doctrine of the Homoou¬ 
sion cannot be saved. And, finally, even after Protestanism had 
arisen, the doctrine was yet set up that the pope alone (without the 
church council) is infallible when he speaks from his official seat. 

All the books of the Arians were destroyed, so that we have none 
but the testimony of their enemies concerning their faith and walk. 
From them, however, it appears that they neither honored images, 
nor relics of saints, as did the Roman Catholics, and that they also 
kept the Sabbath of the Lord, or Seventh Day, and that there were 
no monasteries among them. Sabbath keeping and Arian views seem 
always to have run together, as in the primitive church so also in 
later times. Notice Davidis, the Transylvanian martyr, and others. 
Christianity does not resist God’s commandments. It is very singular 
that the leaders of those persecuted Christians that appeared during 
the Dark Ages in Upper Italy and the South of France, and which 


166 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. XII . 

were persecuted unto the death by the Roman hierarchy, were of 
Germanic extraction, as their names clearly prove. Were they there¬ 
fore not descendants of the Arian nations, the Goths, Suevi, Burgun¬ 
dians and others that had been converted by Ulphilas and his disci¬ 
ples and were overcome by the papacy and her allies, the political 
powers? The particular, so-called Arian views concerning our Lord 
Jesus Christ, on which account, more than any other, they were 
considered heretics, cannot be refuted by Scripture references. 
Neander and many others of the so-called “orthodox” teachers admit 
this. Albeit, the keeping of God’s commandments is most impor¬ 
tant; and all must admit that the Roman Catholic doctrines do not 

teach this. Jesus says he received his doctrine from the Father, 
and that we shall know men by their fruits, and that “Not everyone 
that says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom, but he 
who does the will of my Father, which is in heaven.” 

Whereas there were ungodly princes among all nations, we can¬ 
not judge the Arians by some of their kings and nobles, and less yet, 
because their enemies are the only witnesses we have. The Roman 

Catholics cite us to some of the Arian kings. What? Was there 

ever a whole nation that served the Lord? Shall we not rather 
show the Catholics some of their immoral, yea, infidel, popes? Has 
anyone a right to say that because of their warfaring rulers there 
were no Christians among the Arian nations? Was the people of 
Israel at any time a nation altogether righteous? But even in the 
days of greatest apostacy the Lord had among Israel a people that 
served Him and would not bow their knees to Baal. Howbeit, all his¬ 
torians agree that Thedoric, king of the Ostrogoths, was one of the 
most tolerant and just of men that ever lived, and that the severity 
which he finally exercised toward the pope and some others, shortly 
before his death, was called forth by the persecutions which the 
Arians suffered in the eastern countries, and by the underhanded and 
treasonable intrigues of the pope and others with the Byzantine 
emperor against the Goths. Indeed in all history there can no other 
such a parallel be found to the peaceful reign of Solomon, king of 
Israel, and to his justice, like that of Theodoric, the Ostrogoth, whose 
friendship and advice was sought by all .the rulers of the surrounding 
countries save Justinian and the pope. Under his reign the state of 
morality and security in Italy was such that objects of gold and 
silver could safely be kept out of doors in public places. 

Solomon and Theodoric showed, however, the weakness of human 
nature in their old age; the one by his attachment to outlandish 
women whom he suffered to carry on their own idolatrous worship 
and their abominations contrary to the commandments of God, and 
the Gothic king by suspicioning and punishing some men for treason 
whereof they may have been innocent. 

Having not accepted the doctrine of the Homoousion in the Trinity 
and being therefore not in conformity with the teaching of the Roman 
church, the Arians were branded as heretics. Concerning Christ 


The Overthrow of the Arian Kingdoms: Rev . Ch. 8. 167 


the Arians believed that he was the first and the chiefest of 
all beings after God and that by him God also made the worlds. But, 
although he is called God, they denied that he was God in the extreme 
sense taught by the Roman church. The Arians rejected also some 
other things that were enacted at the council of Nice. Many false¬ 
hoods may have been propagated against the Arians, but we have no 
counter testimonies; for, as already stated, all the Arian books were 
destroyed. 

The Visigoths, the ruling class of Spain (for the common people 
were of Celtic and Latin descent) were among the last of the Arians 
that were brought under the power of the papacy. But, strange 
enough, they outstripped very soon all in their zeal for the Roman 
church. Spain had been the last place of refuge for all that fled 
from the terrible persecutions that everywhere raged since Justinian 
had overthrown the Gothic kingdom of Italy. But only twenty-six 
years after the loss of independence the Spanish government became 
the most persecuting of all that were in the service of the papacy and 
lent itself to carry on the fiercest persecution known in history against 
the Jews. But instead of accomplishing the conversion of the Jews 
it kindled in them such a hatred that they became secret allies of 
the Mohammedans and facilitated their conquest of Spain, which they 
then possessed for 400 years. (The assistance of the Jews was very 
important in the Mohammedan conquest.) After the destruction of 
Jerusalem, Titus colonized great numbers in Spain. They were 
especially numerous in the plains of the Tagus, and toward the end 
of the sixth century Spain was the best asylum for all Jews and 
Christians that everywhere else were persecuted for their religion. 
Therefore Spain at that time contained multitudes of Jews which 
afterward (toward the end of the fifteenth century) emigrated with 
the Mohammedans into North Africa.) Here we see that the over¬ 
throw of Arianism was really the cause of the fall of Spain into the 
hands of the Arabs. Yet Spain enjoyed great prosperity under that 
long reign of the followers of the false prophets than any time since 
it came again under the absolute government of the Roman church. 
Not only in temporal respect, but even spiritually the Christians 
seemed to have fared well under Moslem rule. For, in spite of sev¬ 
eral persecutions, the country was again blessed with a more heartfelt 
and purer Christianity and with more religious liberty than at any 
time when it was under the control of the papacy. This is seen from 
the writings of certain Spanish bishops during the time of Moham¬ 
medan rule, as for example Felix and Elipandus, and from the teach¬ 
ing and sermons of Claude of Turin, who, having received his educa¬ 
tion in Spain, was one of the chief preachers against the saint wor¬ 
ship which at that time prevailed in Italy. This pious and renowned 
bishop was accused of having cherished Arian views. Was perhaps 
Arianism yet lingering in parts of Spain? 

To what a deplorable condition, spiritually, is Spain sunken! 
But elsewhere, wherever we may cast our eyes, the popedom has lain 


168 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XII . 

like a mildew and destroying plague upon the nations. Everywhere it 
produced spiritual death and atheism. 

But before we can leave, we must yet notice some particular 
symbolic expressions in this chapter. The star Wormwood (v. 11), 
that fell upon the third part of the waters, is none other but em¬ 
peror Justinian. The interpretation of prophetic terms in Ch. I 
shows that a star is a great man, a leader either religious or polit¬ 
ical. Justinian attacked the Ostrogothic kingdom under the third 
angel. Waters are nations, kindred and tongues ; here they repre¬ 
sent the third part of the then existing Arian nations, namely, the 
Ostrogoths. Rivers and fountains of waters certainly are the na¬ 
tions that founded the new r kingdoms on the ruins of Rome; “the 
third part” in v. 10 is the Ostrogothic nation again, being one-* 
third of the three Arian nations. During the overthrow of the 
Ostrogoths, and for some time thereafter, Italy experienced the 
most abject misery that had ever befallen it up to that time. There¬ 
fore the star in v. 11 is called Wormwood. It was very bitter. We 
here repeat, that the Arian powers ruled exactly over one-third 
of the entire territory of the old Roman empire, namely, Italy 
with Illyria, (2) Spain, (3) North Africa. Gallia, Britannia and 
the conquered portions of Germany were the second third, and the 
Eastern provinces were the third third. (Each one of the three 
Arian territories covered one-third of the first named third of 
Christendom.) Thus wc must admit that the Christian religion 
and the political power of the Arian part of Christendom was one- 
third of the sun and moon of the Christian world. Therefore, 
when, according to v. 12, the last one of the Arian horns, the Visd- 
gothic, or Spanish, w r as overthrown, and became a prey of the ' 
papacy, then was one-third of the sun and moon in Christendom put 
out, and the ages thereupon following, have no longer in them the 
full and clear light of true Christianity were called the Dark Ages, 
when all Christendom was groaning under the impure church and 
state-unions, when instead of the law of God alone, the Justinian 
code, compiled by Tribonian, and the laws of the papacy ruled over 
the nations. 

The star Wormwood fell upon the Arian kingdom of Italy, 
namely he attacked it. To fall upon has in Divine prophecy the 
meaning of attacking (while in the language of men, ch. 6:16, it 
often means To cover, and To hide). Notice: the star in Rev. ch. 

8 fell upon (Greek: epi); but the star spoken of in the first verse 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths 


169 


of the next chapter did not fall upon, that is, it did not attack, but 
fell to, or rather, into (Greek: eis). The difference in the move¬ 
ments of the two stars was this: the first star, which was Worm¬ 
wood, attached (fell upon ), but the other went out of sight (fell 
into). The second star was Chosroes, “the great king” of Persia, 
who fell down from his high position and perished after he first * 
had lost all the provinces w r hich he had conquered from former 
Roman territory. Chosroes lost not only these, but also his own 
kingdom of Persia; and after great humiliation, fleeing from his 
enemies he was murdered (628) and thus fell into the earth. This 
occurred in the same year when the great persecution against the 
Jews commenced in Spain (when, but a few years before, Spain 
was fallen into the hands of the papacy), and it marks the end of 
the burdens of the four angels of Rev. 8. For it was the time when 
the Roman church had also gained the victory in Britain and ev¬ 
erywhere else. 

The ninth chapter of Revelation continues the prophecy of the 
seventh seal, namely, that part thereof which was the burden of the 
fifth angel. The fall of Chosroes was the key that opened a great out¬ 
let for the bottomless deceptions and lies of Mohammed. For tne 
obstacles which yet had prevented were now removed, and Moham¬ 
medanism was turned loose on all of Chosroes’ dominion. With fire 
and sword (and yet with far less intolerance than the papacy) the 
followers of Mohammed swallowed up Syria, Egypt and North Africa, 
and, after having taken Spain, for a while threatened all Europe. 
These events were foretold in Rev. 9, and are generally so well under¬ 
stood that no further account thereof need be given in this book. 
Under Mohammedan rule North Africa and Spain became again an 
asylum to the persecuted tribes of Judah and Benjamin, while at the 
same time multitudes of the ten tribes were sheltered among the 
pagan population of Slavonian countries, Prussia, Poland and Russia. 
For persecution had overtaken them also in Germany. That the 
terrible persecutions against the Jews made the Arab possession of 
Spain possible for such a long time is but one of many proofs of the 
fulfillment of the old prophecy which has never failed, that God would 
preserve the outcasts of Israel among the nations, and that the powers 
who shall vex them, shall come to grief. 

Chapter XIII. 

The Beast of the Bottomless Pit and the Exegesis of 

Rev. Ch. 17. 

The Beast spoken of in Rev. ch. 17 is the drastic power of 
Atheism. It is the same beast which is mentioned in Rev. 11:7*. 


* See Ch. II, § 5. 





1T0 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XIII . 

It was in the French revolution of the eighteenth century when 
the said beast arose for the first time with the strength of a whole 
nation, and overcame and killed the politico-papal powers, the 
united civil and religious authorities in France. There they lay 
dead for the space of 3J years, 1791-1795. From that time until 
now the said beast has been astir, but never to such an extent as 
then. Seemingly it is half asleep; but not so; only the time for 
his great and last open action has not yet come. For this reason 
it was so far possible that its many attempts to regain full power 
were constantly checked. According to the Scripture it shall come 
again and receive power from all the ten horns, as it is written in 
v. 17: “God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will , and to agree 
and to give their kingdom unto the beast until the words of God 
shall be fulfilled ” It is the will of God that the time shall come 
when the present civil governments will be compelled to give the 
beast license to strip the whore, the impure church, of all her priv¬ 
ileges and “to make her desolate and naked ” (v. 16). Her false¬ 
hoods and deceptions and pretensions will be laid bare and she shall 
be burnt with fire. Burnt spiritualty, by destroying the remnant of 
authority which the papacy and other impure churches yet possess. 
This work is already in progress The governments have already 
relaxed their efforts to protect the various churches from the at¬ 
tacks upon them. What a change since the French revolution, con¬ 
sidering the power which the nominal churches had before! How¬ 
ever, infidels, while they tear down what is false, attack also divine 
truths. But truth cannot be overthrown. 

The prophecy concerning the beast of the bottomless pit and 
his reign, and how he shall gain possession of the seven heads and 
ten crowns could not have been understood before the French revo¬ 
lution. Now we can understand it the same as all the foregoing 
prophecies. It is written, that the ten horns shall give their king¬ 
dom to the beast. Therefore the beast shall at last possess the 
support of all political governments. Even Spain and Ecuador 
and Russia shall not be excepted. Some theologians, while they 
admit the truth that the beast out of the bottomless pit, which is 
spoken of in Rev. 11:7, is the power of infidelity, say nevertheless, 
that in Rev. 17:8 it denotes something quite different ; some say, 
A political or state power. This is wrong.* The civil govern- 

* Verse 17 explains the seeming contradition in verse 9, for verse 
10 proves positively that this vision falls into the present time of the 



Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 17. 


171 

ments are founded on something, even in heathen countries, namely 
on the laws of the second table of God’s commandments, Rom. 13 :9. 
They did not arise out of the bottomless pit Though often repre¬ 
sented under the symbols of certain beasts, no civil power was ever 
called a beast of the bottomless pit. For there is a foundation and 
a necessity for human governments in the present evil world. It 
is the will of God, Rom. 13 :l-9. But the beast of atheism comes 
out of a bottomless pit. The political (so-called Christian) govern¬ 
ments are represented in Rev. ch. 11 as one of the two witnesses of 
God, clothed in sackcloth; for they were not the clean and undefiled 
and true that will be, when Christ shall return and rule. The 
two witnesses, state and impure church, propagated many false 
doctrines and plagued the earth with many evils and persecuted 
God’s people, but nevertheless they were witnesses of God. They 
themselves presumed during the Dark Ages to be true and faithful 
servants of God and to constitute a true Theocracy, but they did 
not. They were unclean, clothed in sackcloth. The union of the 
two witnesses, state and church, during the Dark Ages is repre¬ 
sented in this chapter of Revelation (v. 3) under the symbol of 
fornication:—the fornication between the kings of the earth and 
that, lewd woman which is drunken with the blood of the saints. 
State and impure church mixed their affairs and interests together, 
and it was at the orders of the wcman that the civil governments 
persecuted the saints and kept in subjection the terrible beast of the 
bottomless pit upon which the woman herself was riding. They 
held the beast in with bit and bridle, so that it could not hurt her. 
But now, at the present, the governments have begun to dissolve 
their partnership with the woman. They have begun to give power 
and liberty to the beast to do with the false church as he pleases. 
This the word of God has foretold. Not having been held by the 
governments during the last century as tightly as before, the beast 
has already bucked under her and destroyed much of her prestige 
and all her great persecuting power. And surely will the beast of 

decadence of state and church unions. All the political governments 
begin to become subservient to the beast of atheism which opposes 
the law of God. It will come to pass that the beast shall possess 
the mountains, or, spiritually, shall also sit on the mountains; in 
other words, it shall rule the governments. We see the approach of 
this condition in the attitude governments have lately taken in 
strikes, etc. 



172 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XIIL 

the bottomless pit cast her down into the dust and tread on her. 
Again we repeat, The political governments are not the beast of the 
bottomles pit. Some preachers do yet advocate the pernicious 
union with the worldly powers, but the time for that is past. 

Notice in what perfect harmony thi<* prophecy stands with the 
historical facts by saying that the woman, the great system of the 
papacy, is seated on the beast of the bottomless pit (v. 3), seated, or 
founded upon the same beast of atheism by whom she shall be 
tormented, yea, by whom she has been so greatly humiliated since 
rhe French revolution many times already! Indeed, the organizers 
and popes of tl*at false church could not have promulgated their 
erroneous and blasphemous doctrines, which are so contrary to the 
commandments of God, if many of them had not been ignorant 
infidels themselves. History tells of a pope of the Medicaean 
family, out of which several popes were chosen, that he said him¬ 
self, “This faith of Christ has brought a great deal of wealth into 
our family.” And Boniface VIII, in whose pontificate the papacy 
reached the summit of her power, is said to have expressed himself 
thus: “Who did ever come back from the other world to tell us 
anything about it? Happy they who know how to enjoy life; and 
pitiable creatures are those who lose the present life in hopes of 
gaining a future one like the dog that Hands over a pool of water 
with a piece of meat in his mouth, and, seeing the reflection, lets 
go the substance to grasp the shadow.” Thus it was rank infidelity 
that caused the harlot church to arise with her abominations, de¬ 
ceptions and false doctrines. In his work, “De Ruina Ecclesiae,” 
Nicholas of Clemangis, secretary to pope Benedict XIII gives a 
fearful picture of the depravity and infidelity of those that sat in 
the high places of the Roman church in the fourteenth century. 
The bishops at the counci) of Constance deposed pope John XXIII 
because he was convicted of so decided and conscious an infidelity, 
and of such criminal conduct that the publication thereof was for¬ 
bidden out of fear of the great offence it would give the people. 

However, let us not think that there could have been no other but 
infidel popes. Many were apparently sincere, and have thought they 
were doing right in following the doctrines of the Roman church. 
There is, for example, Gregory VII. He abolished the matrimony of 
priests and rigorously maintained that the church had a right to 
meddle with the politics of the present world, depose civil rulers, etc. 
But when we call to mind his virtuous life and his dying words, the 
words of Paul: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my 


Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 17. 


173 


course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me 
a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall 
give me in that day,” we believe him to have been in earnest. Why 
then should he be blamed? Could he have known that he followed 
false doctrines? Let David answer: “Wherewithal shall a youth 
keep his way pure? By taking heed according to Thy word.” Greg¬ 
ory failed in heeding God’s word, failed in his duty of studying God’s 
word, especially prophecy, else he would have seen his errors. A 
church that is not in harmony with the law of God and the testimony 
of Jesus is not the Church of God. This truth is repeated over and 
over in the Scripture. Gregory and other popes like him ought to 
have known this. However, this prophecy refers not to any person, 
but to the papal church as a whole. 

The whore of this chapter is that counterfeit church which was 
the greatest* and cruelest power of the Dark Ages, namely the Roman 
papacy, the mother of false sects. Rev. ch. 11 has foretold that 
at the end of 1,260 prophetic days (common years) the beast of the 
bottomless pit should overcome both her and her partner, and that 
both should lie dead three and a half prophetic days in that eity 
which spiritually was like Sodom, in the Reign of Terror y 1791- 
1795, see Ch. II. They came to life again after that time, just as 
it was foretold, but they found themselves weakened, specially the 
woman. 

The beast of the bottomless pit issued from the endless depths 
of men’s imaginations and theories and the lusts of the carnal mind. 
It does not stand upon the rock of the revelations of God. It has 
no foundation. Therefore in a certain sense the beast is an un¬ 
reality. In one sense it is a terrible power, and in another a phan¬ 
tom. The word of God says, The beast is and yet is not. It will be 
no more in the day of Christ’s appearing, and will go into perdi¬ 
tion, slain with the sword of his mouth. Again, the beast (see v. 8) 
was in great power in the French revolution from October 1st, 1791, 
to April 1st, 1795, so that then for the first time it thrsw the 
woman and trod on her. Since then he was not in such great power. 
But according to the prophecy of this chapter he shall again re¬ 
ceive that great power. The time hastens when the governments 
of the earth shall in such a measure come under the influence of 
the beast of the bottomless pit (for a season just before Christ’s 
return) that they will no longer protect the whore in any way, but 
will withdraw the last remnant of regard for her, and leave her to 
the violence of the beast. 


174 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. XIII . 


But the beast, while destroying what is false, makes war also 
with the Lamb and the people of God (v. 10). It fills the world 
with blasphemous literature, corrupting the multitudes. Society is 
rapidly entering the state of which Jesus spoke, saying, “When 
the son of man shall come, will he find faith on the earth?” We 
notice further, how the beast inculcates into men an insane desire 
after worldly riches. Higher than ever has he raised the banner of 
the god Mammon whom all atheists worship. The greed' after 
wealth and the vain honors which wealth brings is at present greater 
than ever before.* 

The 9th, 10th and 11th verses read: “And here is the mind 
that hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the 
woman sitteth. And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one 
is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh he must con¬ 
tinue a short space. And the beast that ivas, and is not, even he is 
the eighth, and goeth into perdition.” In the Interpretation of 
Prophetic Symbols we have found that Mountains denote king¬ 
doms and empires, and sometimes also kings. These may either be 
tolerant or persecuting toward the people of God. But notice, that 
the mountains upon which the woman sits are Heads. This quali¬ 
fication shows that they are the same great dominions that are 
spoken of as “Heads” in Rev. 13:1, namely the great dominions 
that in pa'gan times have ruled this world as far as God’s people 
became scattered.! The “kings” here mentioned, can, however, not 
represent the same as the heads or mountains—else they would not 
be named yet after the mountains—but they represent governments 
who were despotic or “oppressive” on the people of God. This we 
are going to prove: 

* Is there any difference between the rich atheist who makes an 
outward show of godliness and robs the poor by extortion and cun¬ 
ning, and the poor atheist who is a murderer or anarchist? Trans¬ 
gressions which seem small in the eyes of the world can be as great 
sins to them that have understanding as crimes committed by them 
that stand low in intellect and training. 

f Inasmuch as the woman has ruled over all the territories that 
used to be under the seven ancient dominions, did she, therefore, in 
the spiritual sense, not sit on them? For many centuries, namely, 
until the rise of Mohammedanism and the Greek schism, she had 
ruled over the territories of Babylonia, Medo-Persia and the four 
Greek dominions. And the seventh mountain is the original Roman 
empire in the West with its own territory that never had been in the 
possession of the first six. 



Exegesis of Rev. Ch. 17. 


175 


When the beast of the bottomless pit arose with open power 
in the French revolution and set up a reign of terror, then the world 
entered a new era. Five Icings were then fallen inasmuch as then 
there had passed five phases of oppression against God’s dispersed 
people commencing from the first captivity of Israel and Judah. 
With the beginning of the French revolution the fifth phase of 
oppression, namely the all-powerful strength of state and church 
unions, which had existed throughout the Dark Ages and had de¬ 
livered men to death for their faith’s sake, was in the past. We 
are now in the era of the downfall of the state churches, the era of 
constitutional governments, of the emancipation of serfs and slaves 
among all civilized nations, and also of the spreading of anarchist- 
ical and infidel tendencies which prepare the way for the second 
(the last) reign of the beast of the bottomless pit, just prior to 
Christ’s second coming. The now approaching reign of the beast 
of the bottomless pit, shall, however, not be confined only to one 
nation (as in the Reign of Terror in France, 1791-1795), but shall 
be universal; for the beast is to be invested with the power of all 
the ten horns, v. 17. The former five, so-called kings, of v. 10, 
are the five phases of government under which the people of God 
was persecuted up to the French revolution, namely (1) that of 
the Assyro-Babylonians, (2) that cf the Greeks in all its branches 
and divisions from the death of Alexander until the full establish¬ 
ment of the empire of the Romans;* (3) that of pagan Rome, 
ending A. D. 313; (4) that of the governments during the fall of 
Rome and the time of transition from the universality of pure 
Christianity to the absolute reign of the papacy. This lasted from 
the day of the proclamation of the Edict of Toleration (313) until 
the two witnesses began to use their power to kill the saints (531). 

* Between the second and third period (namely with the birth 
of Christ and the full establishment of the Roman government over 
the East) there came a change. The persecutions against the Jews 
ceased. (The Romans never persecuted the Jews for their religion.) 
But at the same time the Jews ceased to be the true people of God; 
“they rejected the counsel of God” and “their house was left unto 
them desolate;” and from that time the followers of Christ were per¬ 
secuted. Persecution from the last universal government, pagan 
Rome, turned against the Christians. Having been first started by 
the Jews themselves when they rejected Christ, persecution against 
the Christians lasted through the reign of pagan Rome, or “the third 
king” of verse 10. 



176 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XIII. 

During this period the civil governments had not yet entered into 
a perfect union with any church, and religious persecutions ad¬ 
vanced no further, at the uttermost, than exile. The killing of 
the seven Priscillians makes no exception: because it was done 
by the individual wfill of a usurper and not by any lawful govern¬ 
ment.* And the fifth “king” symbolizes the reign of the two 
witnesses of Rev. ch. 11, the great tyranny of State and Church 
Unions which lasted throughout the Dark Ages (1,260 years, from 
531 to 1791). During this period “State and Church” assumed 
the greatest authority over the consciences of men. Those that 
did not accept the formulated creeds of the papacy or her daugh¬ 
ters were killed. This power was broken by the beast of the bot¬ 
tomless pit which then arose and reigned :n France three years 
and a half. But the inliuence of that short Reign of Terror was 
felt ever since. 

The sixth phase of oppression is the present era of the decad¬ 
ence of state and church unions. Though the Church of God is 
released from her isolation, and is come out of the wilderness, there 
are nevertheless yet the state churches. They are, however, not in 
all countries and are but feebly protected to what they were before, 
and therefore they cannot gratify their full desires. Their old per¬ 
secuting spirit is yet in them, but they have lost their former ter¬ 
rible power to exercise the same and to enforce obedience to their 
manmade doctrines. Men are often hated and suffer loss on ac¬ 
count of their faith, but they are no longer killed for it, nor are 
they forced to send children to churches and pay taxes to the clergy; 
and while men in most countries are yet fined for working on Sun¬ 
day, they are no longer punishcl for keeping the Sabbath day 
holy, etc. 

Five kings are fallen, v. 10. This is proof that when John 
saw this vision, he was in the Spirit translated into our present 
time when the sixth “king” was already come, and when the sev¬ 
enth, which “was” in supreme power during a brief time of terror, 
is soon to come again as the eighth. For verse 8 says, that the 
seventh, which was, shall also be the eighth. The beast of the 
bottomless pit is the one which was and which is to come again 
as the last, after the sixth which is now, shall also be fallen. He 
will come soon; for in some places if is alreadv come to pass that no 


See Ch. II, § 3 and § 4. 



Exegesis of Rev . Ch. 17. 


177 


religious allusion, not even a prayer or the singing of a hymn, nor 
the reading of a chapter out of the Bible without comment, is al¬ 
lowed in public schools. This is a sign of the working of the beast 
of atheism, which not only dissolves the union of state and church, 
but wars against piety to God. This prophecy was therefore 
sealed, and no man could understand it until the first five kings 
were fallen. 

The seventh “king/* the beast of the bottomless pit, which was 
in the French revolution, in the Beign oC Terror and Atheism, and 
which since then was not in open pow r er, is going to come again 
as the eighth. The sixth power is the one under which we are now 
living. The present is the time of the disappearance of the power 
of false Christianit}', the time of the gradual dissolution of state 
and church unions and is analogous to Rie fourth period (the time 
between the reigns of Constantine and Justinian) when persecu¬ 
tions had not yet become extreme nor universal; but then persecu¬ 
tions were increasing in severit}^ while now they are decreasing. 
The present therefore belongs yet to the same class with the five 
that were before the French revolution. The six “kings’’ were all 
the same, all wanted, to enforce certain religious creeds and cus¬ 
toms. Sunday law T s are in force yet and many unjust privileges 
are still granted to churches. Some, especially the Roman Cath¬ 
olic, still receive peculiar assistance. And in Russia and some 
other countries religious persecutions are often severe yet. We 
see therefore that we are yet living under religious oppression, and 
this is the “sixth king,” for this phase belongs yet into the same 
category with the five phases that were before the Reign of Terror. 
But the beast of the bottomless pit is a power altogether different 
from those six. It professes no religion, but wars against all. It 
is the seventh, namely the one which abeadv was in power in the 
French revolution and which shall again appear in power after the 
present or sixth phase of governments that have enforced religious 
laws and customs has passed awat. 

Because he is to come again, v 11 says, that the seventh is also 
the eighth. And he is the last; foi there are only seven in all. The 
prophecy says that “he >• of the seven” and that “he shall be the 
eighth.” The seventh and eighth are the same. His reign was 
cut in two by the sixth power which reigns now. The seventh shall 
be the eighth at the time (which is close at hand) when the present 
political horns shall give him full power, when, according to verses 


178 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XIII. 

12, 13 and 17,'they shall have “one mind” with him to despoil the 
impure churches of the renfnant of their power. This last phase, 
the reign of the civil powers in conjunction with the beast will be 
destroyed at Christ’s coming. Seven is the number of perfection. 
With the fall of the seventh “king” the unrighteous rule on the 
earth shall be entirely ended. Then shall all the kingdoms of the 
nations fall, and the kingdom of Cod shall be set up with power. 

Verse 12 does not say that the ten horns were not in existence 
long before the first uprising of the beast of the bottomless pit; 
but it speaks of a coming time, when the ten horns or present polit¬ 
ical powers shall reign conjointly with the beast, when they, as 
v. 13 says, “shall give their power and strength to the beast ” (in the 
same manner as in days past they had given their power and 
strength into the service of the papacy and the sects). There are 
in all “six kings” that upheld false religious systems and at the 
same time oppressed, more or less, the true Church of God, namely 
five which were fallen before the first uprising of the beast of the 
bottomless pit, and the one which is now. The beast of the bot¬ 
tomless pit being of an entirely anti-religious nature, different 
from any of the six, and also because he is coming again as the 
last, we repeat it again, are the reasons why he was reckoned the 
Seventh enemy of the people of God even before the end of the 
now reigning sixth “king.” 

This prophecy is in every respect m accord with history, the 
same as any other of the predictions given by the Divine Spirit. 
The Assvro-Babylonian, and next the Greek dominions that sprang 
from Alexanders conquests, were the first two tyrannical powers 
that oppressed God’s people. The Assyrq-Babylonian was very 
cruel; and under Greek rule thousands upon thousands of faithful 
adherents to the old covenant were slain.* Under Antiochus 
Epiphanes the climax cC persecution under the old dispensation 
was reached: the prince of princes, the highpriest of God, was de¬ 
posed, and died in captivity ; all copies of the sacred scriptures that 
could be found, were destroyed. Antiochus himself desecrated the 
altar of daily sacrifice and devoted -he holy house to idolatrous uses; 
so that from the time of the deposing of the lawful highpriest, when 
the lawful daily sacrifice ceased, until the power of Antiochus was 


* Alexander’s life was very short, and he never persecuted the 
Jews, hut his successors did. 



Exegesis of Rev. ch. 17. 


179 


overthrown and the sanctuary cleansed theie were fulfilled 2,300 
“evening-mornings” (that is, literal days) But the Persian do¬ 
minion, which ruled between the fall of the Babylonian and the 
rising of the Greek empire, was m.t one of the “kings” or “oppres¬ 
sors.” Not only did the attempts of the enemies of the Jews to 
persecute them fail during the time of the old Persian empire, but 
on the contrary, the Jews received protection and privileges from 
all the Persian kings excepting only Artaxerxes (Cambyses). How¬ 
ever, even during the regn of this cruel man who also destroyed 
the kingdom of the Phamahs and led away the great men fettered 
in yokes, there were no persecutions against the Jews, the people 
of God. He never gave such a commandment. He only withdrew 
his former grants and ti e permission to complete the building of 
the temple, because of fear of political aspirations among the Jews, 
after he had first given many presents himself toward the erection 
of the temple. But his successor, Parivs, had the work resumed; 
and he not only continued to grout the Jews religious liberty, but 
gave them many additional privileges.* Thus we see that before 
the French "Revolution there were exactly five “kings” (or phases) 
which did not grant religious liberty but oppressed God’s people and 
at the same time favored either pagan religions or impure churches, 
and that we are now living under the sixth of like character, and 
that the beast of the bottomless pit. which opposes every religion, 
both true and false, reigned as the seventh in the Reign of Terror 
(in the French revolution) and that he is t)ie same which shall 
come once more. 

From 313 to 531, that is, during the fourth period of perse¬ 
cution, when paganism was fallen, it was the Whore (v. 2, 3, 6 and 
15) which arose and received help to oppiess the people of God. 
During that time she could not yet acquire the power to kill the 
saints, but she exiled and robbed -hem. In this her youthful age 
she reigned over all the territories of the ancient universal domin¬ 
ions.—The fifth period of oppression was from 531 to the French 
revolution. During this time she and her daughters possessed al¬ 
most unlimted help from the staie governments, and had the ter¬ 
rible power to persecute the saints even unto the death and to 

* The “New-Persian” uprising and persecutions (under the 
“Younger Artaxerxes” and his successors) took place after Christ, and 
belong to the third and fourth periods. 



180 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


overcome them, Rev. 13:?. During this period millions upon mil¬ 
lions of souls were sacrificed to the whore.* Then the true church 
of God was in the wilderness and the nations were in darkness 
and trodden down by the two witnesses, state and impure church. 
In this present time of her decadence the whore reigns yet, both 
openly and indirectly. Indirectly not only in so-called Protestant 
countries (inasmuch as Protestants follow her doctrines), but also 
over the territories of the ancient dominions in the East, Turkey, 
Egypt, Syria, Persia, etc. For those countries came under Mo¬ 
hammedan power because of her idolatries and her rebellion against 
God’s commandments, especially her doctrine of the Homoousion. t 
The mystery of Great Babylon began to work already in Paul’s 
time, only it could not gain power until paganism was first taken 
out of the way and the 144,000 elect had been sealed ; 2 Thess. ch. 
2; Rev. 7:1-4. How she is receiving her punishment. 

Rev. 18:24 says, that “in her was found the blood of prophets 
and of saints and of all that were slain upon the earth.” She is 
that beast of Rev. ch. 13 to whom the dragon gave “his power 
and his seat and great authority” (v. 2) and that shed the blood 
of the people of God on the earth during the Dark Ages. 


* Yea, even children, thousands of them, were caught by fanati¬ 
cism to partake in crusades, and perished miserably with cold and 
hunger. 

t Undoubtedly it must have been because of that doctrine that 
Mohammed was not .much afraid of Roman Catholics, and that his 
greatest hatred was directed against Hebrew Christians. Not idolatry, 
nor Romanism with her Homoousion, but only the pure doctrine of 
Christ had he to fear. 


Chapter 



Parts of the Book of Revelation Not Interpreted in the Fore* 


going Chapters. 


Chapter 2 and 3 mention the principal churches of Hebrew 
Christians among the Gentiles, and the solemn messages which 
the Spirit sent to them by John. A far greater portion of the 
144,000 elect was gathered from the Hebrews scattered among the 
Gentiles than from those in Palestine. Some of the latter also be- 




Synopsis on Various Chapters of the Revelation. 181 


came dispersed in the days of the great persecutions, 1) when the 
apostle James was killed and 2) after the destruction of Jeru¬ 
salem. 

While there is an abundance of proof in regard to the real exist¬ 
ence of those seven churches in Asia Minor, Brother Raleigh gives us 
a comment on a more extended application of the messages, as 
follows: 

“Although the seven churches were church communities in Asia 
Minor, they also represent seven stages in the true Church of Christ, 
viz.: l)the church of Ephesus, or the Apostolic church; 2) the 

church of Smyrna, or the Primitive chuich after the death of the 
apostles; 3) the church of Pergamos, or the church during the 
great power of the papacy. For verse 13 says: “I know thy works, 
and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is. And thou 
holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those 
days when Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among 
you where Satan dwelleth.” Their dwelling where Satan’s seat is 
indicates that they were surrounded by papists. Verse 14 reads: 
“But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some 
which hold to the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a 
stumbling block before Israel: to eat things sacrified to idols and 
to commit fornication.”—4) The hcurch of Thyatira, or the church 
during the Reformation, because verse 19 says: “I know thy works, 
and charity and service and faith, and thy patience and thy works, 
and the last to be more than the first.” This shows the great purify¬ 
ing that took place in the Church of God during the Reformation. 
Verse 20 reads: “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, 
because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel which calleth herself a 
prophetess to teach and to seduce my servants and to commit forni¬ 
cation and to eat things sacrificed to idols.” Jezebel represents the 
papacy and “the suffering her to teach” represents the adoption of 
her false doctrines by the Reformers; and “the seducing of our Lord’s 
servants” represents the Reformers going into alliances with the 
governments around about them.— (“And to eat things sacrificed to 
idols” would mean the teachers receiving wages and livings from the 
people who make offerings and pay for the administration of man¬ 
made ceremonies and the preaching of human doctrines.—J. N.) 
—5) The church of Sardis, or the Lord’s people scattered among the 
Protestant sects. For Rev. 3:3 reads: “Be watchful and strengthen 
the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found 
thy works perfect before God.” This Scripture conclusively proves 
that we are right in fixing the time after the Reformation as the 
time for the fulfilment of this Scripture. It relates to “the falling 
away” after the Reformation. Verse 4 reads: “Thou hast a few 
names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments: and 
they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.” This verse 
proves that the majority had fallen away, and that there was only 


182 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch.XIV. 

a little flock of saints.—6) The church of Philadelphia, or the church 
during the great Advent Movement. The word Philadelphia signifies 
Brotherly Love, which is a fit name for the great Advent Movement. 
Verse 8 reads: “I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee 
an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, 
and hast kept my word and hast not denied my name. Behold I will 
make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and 
are not, but do lie: behold I will make them to come and worship 
before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.” Alas, the other 
professors of Christ having left the darkness turned and formed sects 
and abandoned the gospel purity. Finally they left their first love 
and faith, so that they lost the blessing which their brethren received. 
—7) The church of Laodicea, or the church since the said advent 
Movement. Verse 15 reads: ‘‘I know thy works, that thou art neither 
cold nor hot.” Verse 16 reads: “So because thou art neither cold 
nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth.” How beautifully does 
this and the following verse describe the spirit of the church to-day! 
And when our Lord saw that they did not repent he spewed them 
out as he had threatened. This took place in 1878, the exact parallel 
of the casting out of fleshly Israel in A. D. 33.—A. Raleigh.” 

This commentary is certainly excellent. While the conditions 
of the seven churches in Asia are certainly the things that were spoken 
of as existing in John’s time, namely, as we read in ch. 1:19, “the 
things that are,” they seem, as Brother Raleigh says, also to be typical 
of the different stages during the Christian dispensation. But as to 
the last sentence the writer cannot agree; for he cannot believe 
that the rejection has already come. According to the Scripture 
another powerful uprising of the beast of the bottomless pit and at 
least the preparation for the battle of Armageddon are yet to take 
place before the advent of Christ.—J. N. 

Chapter 9 commences with the sounding of the fifth angel 
of the seventh seal. He announced the rise of Mohammedanism 
and the destruction of the Byzantine or Greek-Roman empire 
which yet took place under the first woe. Then came the suprem¬ 
acy of the Ottoman-Turkish empire from 1449 to 1840. This was 
the second woe. 

Chapter 11 up to verse 15 is interpreted in Ch. II, Ch. Ill 
and Ch. V. Verses 15 to end mention briefly the seventh seal and 
the last judgments on the world.—Here ends the first part of the 
book of Revelation. The second part, commencing with Ch. 12, 
presents a new series of visions of the same events as the first, 
covering also the whole time from John’s exile in Patmos to the 
end of the Christian dispensation. 

Chapter 15 mentions the joy of the redeemed ones in heaven, 
who had overcome, and were escaped from the snares of the false 


Synopsis on Various Chapters of the Revelation. 183 


churches. And furthermore it speaks of the preparations for the 
outpouring of the seven last plagues. 

Chapter 16. If we compare verse 2 of this chapter with cer¬ 
tain passages in chapter 13, we realize that the seven last plagues 
must fall upon the worshippers of the second as well as on those 
of the first beast of Rev. ch. 13. By following the second beast 
men worship also the first inasmuch as the teaching of the second 
supports also the first: See Rev. 13:12. What do the seven last 
plagues represent? The vials are certainly not all poured out yet. 
Are any? 

If any of the plagues have already been visited upon mankind, 
then it is the writers opinion that, so far, only four have been poured 
out. The writer will herewith simply present his views, whether 
correct or not, as to what he thinks the said plagues signify in that 
case. Let these views therefore only be taken as conjectures: The 
first plague fell upon the earth, that is upon the great multitudes of 
the common people. This plague, by which they were smitten as 
with a loathsome pestilence, may it not be that which has come 
through the writings of atheists, such as Diderot, Voltaire and others, 
which commenced their work about the year 1750? Did they not 
poison the minds of all people that were not worshippers of God? 
Those writings corrupted all nations, and prepared in Prance the way 
for the Reign of Terror .—The second plague then would have begun 
with the Reign of Terror which the beast of the bottomless pit did 
set up; and the plague would have lasted fifty-seven years with more 
or less severity, until the end of the Napoleonic and revolutionary 
wars about 1848. Were those not terrible years of blood and famines? 
And was it not a time of searchings of heart and great revivals of 
piety toward the last? But it passed away. Men did not truly repent, 
but turned back to the world. The Sea in prophetic language denotes 
discontented and warring multitudes. A living soul in the sea de¬ 
notes a leader and inpirator of revolution. “Every living soul died 
in the sea.” Indeed all the leaders of thpse great revolutions went 
under. Robespierre, Danton, Napoleon and all the great leaders died 
an uncommon death either by violence or in exile; and for their own 
descendants they accomplished nothing.—Did not immediately there 
after the third angel pour out his vial upon the fount of false doc¬ 
trines? and took from it its former power and great influence? The 
historical annals of the time between 1848 and 1880 show how deeply 
the papacy was humiliated. Yet men repented not and did not cease 
to honor the papacy .—The fourth angel would then (that is, if the 
above interpretation is correct) be present now. For we see the dis¬ 
tress of false teachers and their followers caused by the effulgence of 
the light of divine truth that shines everywhere, and the attacks of 
infidel scoffers. We found in Gh. II that in prophecy The Sun de¬ 
notes Spiritual Power. Now, therefore, might those great scorchings 


184 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch.XIV. 

which are caused by the outpouring of the fourth vial not be a sym¬ 
bolization of the present religious controversies and troubles, theo- 
sophisms, spiritisms and other strange theories that are rising every¬ 
where and vex and confound false religion? Have not multitudes, 
yea in some countries almost whole nations become skeptics and 
blasphemers of God? And have not sects rather increased than 
decreased? 

Under the sixth angel the ruling powers of the whole earth 
will prepare for the great battle in Syria (also according to Ez. 
38:8. . . . ); and in the time of the seventh angel the end 

of tyranny and iniquity will come. Then the reign of Christ will 
be set up on earth with all power; and the world governments and 
constitutions shall be dissolved. The crooked shall be made 
straight, the valleys shall be levelled and all the mountains shall 
be brought low. The kingdoms of the nations shall fall, and the 
kingdom over all shall be given to Christ and his saints. “The 
islands shall flee away” out of the hands of the oppressors and be 
transferred to the rule of the saints. See Dan.' ch. 2; Ps. 2 ; Ps. 
149; etc. Verses 18 to 21 of this chapter are parallel with verses 
15 to 19 of ch. 11. 

Chapter 18 speaks in particular of the great fall of Babylon, 
the fall of the impure churches, in fulfillment of verses 16 and 17 
of ch. 17. 

Chapter 19, from v. 1 to 10, shows, that after the judgment 
of the whore, or the fall of Babylon, the time of the marriage of 
the Lamb is come, because the gathering of all the bride-company 
is finished, and Christ returns; see also Luke 12 :36. The marriage 
takes place before God in heaven, and then is the marriage supper 
prepared and given on the earth. Verses 11 to 21 show that the 
coming of Christ and his armies and the judgment upon Gog and 
Magog shall take place before the marriage supper is given. This 
is in line with Ez. ch. 38 and ch. 39 which speak of the invasion 
and destruction of Gog and Magog immediately after the return 
of the Israelites from all nations. It is also in line with Matth. 
22:7, 8, where it is shown that the wedding supper takes place 
after the slaughter of the rebels that despised the invitation of the 
king. “And they were slain with the sword of him that sat upon 
the horse, which sword proceedeth out of his mouth; and all the 
fowls were filled with their flesh.” Rev. 19:21. Upon this fol¬ 
lows the restoration of Israel (see EzekiePs prophecy) and the 
beginning of the millennium. 


Synopsis on Various Chapters of the Revelation . 185 


Chapter 20 speaks of the first resurrection which, in harmony 
with 1 Thess. 4 is due at the coining of Christ. Therefore the 
binding of Satan and the slaughter of Gog and Magog coincide 
with the first resurrection which is the resurrection of them who 
shall reign with Christ upon the earth. This chapter speaks of one 
more rebellion after, the millennium: when Satan shall be looted 
for a short season and shall go forth to deceive the nations, Gog 
and Magog, and incite them to revolt. After their destructhn 
comes the second or general resurrection and the last judgment. 

Chapter 21 speaks of the passing away of the first heaven, 
the appearing of a new heaven, and the descending of the New 
Jerusalem, the holy city, the bride-company.* “The first heaven” 
is Christ’s universal dominion during the times of the restitution. 
The heavens which are now (2 Pe. 3:12) are the governments of 
the ten horns of Daniel that rule the world at present. These shall 
depart soon after Christ’s return; and the universal dominion of 
Christ and his elect shall then be set up and be the ruling heaven 
over all the earth during the ages of the restitution (Acts 3:20, 21; 
1 Cor. 15:25; etc.). For after the millennial reign the elect shall 
be called together and Christ shall sit upon the throne of his glory 
and the elect shall sit with him to judge the world. And when 
those ages of judgment and trouble and restitution are ended, then 
shall be a new heaven and a new earth, and there shall be no more 
sea and no more night, t A new state of things shall appear. For 
then the redemptory work of Christ is finished, even Death and 
Hades are conquered. Then shall the heavenly Jerusalem descend 
and Christ shall deliver the redeemed kingdom of the earth to 
God the Father, and God shall be all in all (1 Cor. 15:24-28), and 
the earth, having been brought back to Edenic beauty, shall be the 
dwelling place of the redeemed. See Ps. 3?; Matth. 5:5; etc. 

There is no revelation given us from God that contradicts the 
above interpretation of Rev. ch. 20, and ch. 21. The 144,000 shall be 


* See Ch. VI. 

f “This language is symbolic. As for there being no more night, 
it means that there shall be no more spiritual darkness, and that the 
world shall be full of light, spiritually speaking. And as there shall 
be no more sea, it means that there will no longer be a restless, dis¬ 
contented element, but all will be satisfied.—A. Raleigh.”—To this the 
writer adds, that inasmuch as there are many prophecies that have 
a twofold fulfilment, we may look here also for both a literal and a 
spiritual fulfilment.—J. N. 



186 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XIV. 

partakers with Jesus in the reign of the restitution, and the bride- 
company does not descend until that reign is ended. As to this last, 
Paul’s writings to the Corinthians, “Know ye not that the saints shall 
judge the world? and if ye judge the world . . . ”is the only 

passage that seems to contradict it. Namely some think, because of 
this passage, that all the redeemed shall judge the world. Now we 
believe ourselves that Paul spoke those words by inspiration: since 
we have no testimony to the contrary. We believe, that if Paul had 
been mistaken, it would have been revealed to him, so that wjien he 
wrote to the Corinthians the second letter he would have corrected 
it. When Paul did not speak by inspiration he said so himself (1 Cor. 
7:25; 11:16), or, the Spirit would have corrected him if he made a 
mistake, as we see it in his second letter to the Thessalonians. There 
he had spoken, as the Lord had shown him, of them that are alive 
at Christ’s coming and look for him; but he was wrong in expecting 
Christ’s coming already in his lifetime. See 1 Thess. 4:17, and then 
2 Thess. 2:2. The second epistle with the said correction was writ¬ 
ten immediately after the first, before he had yet left Athens. There¬ 
fore we think Paul alluded in the above passage only to them that 
belonged to the first election which was from the undefiled that kept 
all of God’s commandments. Our reason for this is, that undoubtedly 
there were many Hebrew Christians at Corinth. The very first mem¬ 
bers of that church community came out of the Jewish synagogue 
and certainly there were many additions like Aquila and Priscilla and 
Apollos. Therefore while Paul had addressed his letter both to Jews 
and Gentiles, he must have referred in the above passage only to those 
of the saints that were of the 144,000, or first election, out of the 
tribes of Israel, Rev. ch. 7:4,5. We are confirmed in this belief by 
the parallel to the said expression which is found in Paul’s letter to 
the Romans, ch. 2:17-25, where he speaks to Jews only, although he 
first had addressed the epistle to all, Gentiles as well as Jews; and 
afterwards, in ch. 11:13, he spoke again to Gentiles exclusively. There 
are a great many that do not understand Paul in all his writings. 
Here we wish to call attention to the fact that the Scripture does not 
qualify everything, that it is very sparing in the use of the word 
Only; but that we are exhorted to study the Scripture and compare 

passages with one another.-It is, however, the writer’s belief that 

after the judgment is past and all things are made new, and the bride- 
company shall have come down, she shall, together with the bride¬ 
groom yet bless the great multitude of the inhabitants of the new 
earth that are outside the city, Rev. ch. 22: those who had not been 
converted in the present life and had not taken hold of the covenant 
of faith while it was yet time during the present dispensation of grace, 
but will be resurrected as sinners and shall go through the troublous 
times of correction and torment and restitution in the presence of 
the Lamb and the holy angels, before the New Jerusalem descends. 



Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


187 


Chapter XV. 

Brief History of the Christian Dispensation. 

The time between the birth of Jesus Christ and his second 
advent may be divided into seven periods of great events: 

First: The birth of Jesus Christ and.the preaching of John 
the Baptist until the baptism of Jesus. 

Second: The ministry of Christ commencing from this bapt¬ 
ism; the persecutions which he suffered, and his crucifixion, death 
and resurrection. 

Third: The outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the disciples, 
their preaching and the perfecting of the manchild or gathering of 
the 144000 which are the members of the spiritual bridegroom. 
This period covers the time of the first five seals: the time of the 
conflict with paganism, and ended with the proclamation of Con¬ 
stantine’s Edict, 313, which granted toleration for the Christian 
religion. 

Fourth Period, from 313 to 531: the time from the proclama¬ 
tion of Toleration for Christianity in the Roman empire until the 
intimate union of the Byzantine State and the Papacy was accom¬ 
plished. This period includes the burden of the sixth seal namely, 
the fall of the old Roman empire, the rise of the popedom and the 
“ten horns” of Daniel’s prophecy, and the struggle of the impure 
church of the papacy for existence during the time of the Arian 
powers. 

Fifth Period, from 531 to 1791. This embraces the overthrow 
of the Arian pow r ers (the three horns of Daniel’s prophecy), the 
healing of the wound of the popedom (Rev. 13:3) through the 
recognition of the doctrine of the Homoousion and the primacy of 
the bishop of Rome by all the political governments, the tryanny 
of State and impure church (the Two Witnesses of Rev. ch. 11) 
during the Dark Ages and the abode of the pure Woman (the 
Church of God) in the wilderness. It includes also the rise and 
great power of Mohammedanism and the appearing of the second 
or two-horned beast, and its great power (Ch. VII). 

Sixth Period, from 1791 to the complete fall of “Babylon.” 
This period commenced with the reign of the Beast of the Bottom¬ 
less Pit and includes the death state of the Two Witnesses and 
their resurrection, the present progressive dissolution of their 


188 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XV. 


union, the failure on the part of political governments to uphold 
certain churches and to cater to their desires; and further, the 
great humiliation of the papacy and the rapid spreading of infidel 
tendencies. 

Seventh (yet future) period: The complete ruin of Babylon 
(Rev. ch. 18), the cessation of gathering members for the great 
bride compan} r , the consummation of the marriage of the Lamb 
before the throne of God (Rev. 19:11 to 16), the slaughter of Gog 
and Magog and the giving of the marriage supper (Rev. 19 :17-21). 

Upon the fulfilment of these things, the dispensation of the 
elections will be ended and the millennial reign of Christ and the 
144,000 will commence. This reign is the beginning of the ages 
of the restitution of all things unto God whereof the prophets have 
spoken. In the end of the millennium the last rebellion of earthly 
nations shall take place, Rev. 20:7-10; and then shall the prepara¬ 
tions begin for the great judgment. The dead shall arise* and the 
elect that during the millennium did reign with Christ, shall be 
gathered together (Matth. 24:31) to sit with Christ in judgment 
over the world, and then the wicked shall suffer the second death. 
Then there shall be no more sea, no more discontented multitudes. 

Here we close the first part of this book, the exegesis of the Rev¬ 
elation which Jesus received from God. We found that nearly all 
of the great events were shown to John in two separate visions, pre¬ 
senting different aspects and supplementing each other. 


* It is the view of a great many commentators, particularly C. T. 
Russell, that the general resurrection takes place during the millen¬ 
nium, as the words (v. 5, ch. 20) “But the rest of the dead lived not 
again until the thousand years were over,” are supposed to be spu¬ 
rious, not being found in the oldest manuscripts, viz., the Sinaitic, 
Syriac and Alexandrian. Nevertheless the writer cannot agree with 
C. T. Russell: for, even if v. 5 be not taken into consideration, the rest 
of chapter 20 and the last two chapters of the Revelation show how 
the events follow one upon another. The 1,000 years’ reign is only 
a part of the times of the restitution of all things; and the general 
resurrection will undoubtedly take place after the 1,000 years’ reign. 
The judgment of the living comes first and then that of the dead 
after the millenium. The destruction of those that in the end of the 
millenium rise in rebellion may be typical of the fate of those who 
are still incorrigible in the end of the whole reign of the restitution. 



Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


189 


PART TWO 


Dissertations on Various Doctrines in the Light of Divine 
Law and Testimony. Isa. 8:20. 


“ Come out of Babylon, my people, 


vUl U1 Dau^iuil, JJL1J' ycupic, 

that ye be not partakers of her sins, and 
that ye receive not of her plagues. For 
her sins have reached unto heaven, and 
God hath remembered her iniquities.” 
Rev 18:4, 5 

“TTprft is tiiA r>atir>nr'p nf saints 


“Here is the patience of the saints. 
Here are they that keep the command¬ 
ments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 
14:12. 


Chapter 



Biblical and Historical Testimonies Concerning the Observ* 
ance of the Seventh and the First Day of the Week. 

§ 1. General Testimonies. 

The Scripture declares that the Seventh day is the Sabbath, 
and that it is to be observed in honor to the Lord as a memorial 
of His having ended the creation of the heaven and the earth, 
and we shall also keep it as a rest day from our worldly labor. The 
commandment says: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 
Six days thou shalt labor and do all thy work. But the seventh 
day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; on it thou shalt not do 
any work, neither thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man¬ 
servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that 
is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and 
the earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh 
day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it 
(Ex. 20:8, 9, 10, 11). The question is, Is this yet God’s com¬ 
mandment? or, Was it abrogated or substituted? Was it observed 
before the Mosiac dispensation? and, Is it to be observed yet? 
Hoes the Sabbath commandment belong to the fundamental and 





190 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § /. 


unalterable law, or is it a bj-law that was added later ? Is it suffi¬ 
cient to keep a certain seventh day, or should we keep the seventh 
day of the week, like the Jews? 

We must notice, that there are fundamental laws that remain 
the same forever, that are unchangeable, even as God who gave 
them, is unchangeable; and that there are covenant laws, or cere¬ 
monial laws, which were added because of the transgression of the 
fundamental law. Now, Is the Sabbath commandment a cove¬ 
nant law, or, sacrificial law which was to be'in force only for a 
certain time ? The writer says, that it belongs to the fundamental 
law, the law which is the basis and consideration of every cove¬ 
nant that God gave to man, and that no other substitute can an¬ 
swer for having transgressed that commandment but the substi¬ 
tute which God has provided for any other transgression, namely 
the blood of Jesus. Is this true? 

The difference between the Old and the New covenant is this: 
Under the Old covenant the transgressor of the law was again 
accepted of God, if, in addition to true repentance and conversion 
from his unrighteousness he observed those sacrificial ordinances 
which pointed to the blood of Christ and which the Lord had insti¬ 
tuted by the hand of Moses, while under the New it is faith in 
Jesus Christ, publicly confessed in baptism, instead of the many 
burdensome sacrifices and ordinances that cleanseth the sinner 
after his reformation. The repentance or reformation is to be 
genuine. In all cases of injury, or fraud, restitution and reconcil¬ 
iation with the neighbour, if it was possible, was first demanded 
under the old covenant before any sacrifice to God was accepted. 
It is the same under the New. The sacrifices and lip service of the 
wicked are abominable in the sight of God. Now, during the pres¬ 
ent dispensation the old sacrificial ordinances are taken away, 
and with them also those peculiar sabbaths that were pertaining 
thereto: for those sabbaths and festival seasons like those of un¬ 
leavened bread, etc., were the same as the animal sacrifices, namely 
they were only shadows that pointed to Christ and therefore were 
nailed to the cross during the present covenant of faith. God does 
not change. The Scripture shows abundantly that the ten com¬ 
mandments are the fundamental law which was in force from the 
beginning, before there were any Jews, and that they are yet the 
same at this day, and that God indeed only repeated them from 
Mount Sinai to the children of Israel for the purpose that they 


Testimonies on the Observance of the Sabbath. 191 


might more readily obey them. The Levitical ordinances, how¬ 
ever, were not in existence from the beginning, and they were not 
proclaimed to the people by the voice of God, but were given 
through the handwriting of Moses. They pointed to Christ and 
were added out of grace, as means, to enable the sinner to approach 
God for pardon. “Sin is the transgression of the law” namely of 
the fundamental law or ten commandments. God in His mercy 
gave man special laws to make reconciliation, one through Moses, 
the second through Jesus Christ. The law of faith in Christ is not 
any more a substitute for the ten commandments than the sacri¬ 
ficial law that God gave by Moses. If men do not regard the ten 
commandments, but claim only the merit of Christ, then they 
under value the grace of God, and are reprobates. 

God tells us by the mouth of Isaiah (66:23) that yet in the 
new earth, that is after the present dispensation, the Sabbath shall 
be kept by all flesh, even as it was in the beginning, in Paradise. 
The ten commandments are God’s immutable law for man. We 
read in Jer. 7:22: “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of 
Israel, I spoke not with your fathers and commanded them not on 
the day of My bringing them out of the land of Egypt, concerning 
burnt offering and sacrifice; but .this thing commanded I them, 
saying, “Hearken to My voice, and I will be your God and ye shall 
be My people; and walk ye altogether in the way which I com¬ 
manded you, that it may be well with you.” At that time there 
was not yet a specially ordained priesthood to offer up sacrifices. 
But the fundamental law was in existence, the ten commandments 
which include the Sabbath that God had instituted for man’s good 
at the creation. To that law God referred in the above passage 
as the way which He had commanded them to walk in. 

It is almost exclusively from the letters of Paul that men 
try to prove that the law is changed, that the Sabbath is abolished. 
Are we not bound to understand that Paul was compelled to say a 
good deal concerning the passing away of the Levitical covenant 
and concerning ceremonial ordinances, sabbaths and feast days 
which were but shadows of things to come in the millennial age? 
Paul never could or would say that the weekly Sabbath is one of 
those. No. In his epistles to the Galatians Paul shows that he 
calls the old sacrificial law by the name of The Law simply for 
brevity’s sake. He says of it, that it “was added because of trans¬ 
gression.” It was added through Moses; and Paul called it simply 


192 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § /. 


“The Law” to distinguish it from the law of the new covenant 
which was added through Christ. The latter he often briefly called 
“Faith” instead of using so many words as The law of faith in 
Christ. See Rom. 3:27. Paul says in Gal. 3:17 that the law 
(namely the old sacrificial law) was given 430 years after Abra¬ 
ham, and that it (v. 19) was added because of transgression. It 
was added for the benfit of those that in ignorance or through una¬ 
voidable circumstances had transgressed the fundamental law 
which was before it and is above it. It is evident that, if by say¬ 
ing The Law, Paul had meant in this passage the fundamental 
law which contains the ten commandments, then he would have 
said a falsehood. He would have said that there was no law until 
430 years after Abraham. To argue the contrary is useless. For, 
if there had been no law until 430 years after Abraham God would 
not have destroyed the antediluvians; for where no law is, there is 
no sin. Neither would the Scripture say that God chose Abraham 
because he kept His statutes. How could Abraham have kept them 
' if there were none? The eyes of those are certainly darkened 
who have an idea that some of the laws of God, that, by trans¬ 
gressing them, had caused the destruction of the earth in the days 
of Noah, are now abolished. And to this day we still shall have no 
other God’s before Him and shall keep holy the Sabbath day which 
He had sanctified in the beginning for His memorial. See Gen. 
2:3. 

The weekly Sabbath is a memorial of the Creator. It is not 
one of those ceremonial sabbaths that pointed forward to Christ, 
like the sabbaths of unleavened bread and others, but it points 
back, and is as old in its relation to man as the commandment 
Thou shalt not kill, or as that Thou shalt not steal. The Lord 
never put any hindrance in man’s Way against the keeping of the 
ten commandments; but as for the Levitical statutes and sacrifi¬ 
cial sabbath days , no one is at present able to observe them: be¬ 
cause by allowing the destruction of the sanctuary and the disper¬ 
sion of the Levitical priesthood God Himself did let it come to 
pass that it is at present an impossibility, even for the Jews, to 
fulfill the sacrificial ceremonials according to their laws. The 
ceremonial sabbaths are therefore put out of sight for the present. 
Not so that Sabbath which belongs to the fundamental law. 

Some say Christ has abolished the law; but he says “I r.m 
not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill.” Now, a law is not ful- 


Testimonies on the Observance of the Sabbath. 193 


filed when it is abolished, but only when it is duly observed. The 
prophecy of Isaiah foretold that ihe Messiah “shall magnify the law 
and make it honorable” (ch. 42:21). Jesus did so. He did not 
keep the Sabbath according to the traditions of the Pharisees, but 
in the way God had appointed. The Lord told us by Isaiah (ch. 
58) that the Sabbath shall be a day of delight, not a burden, not 
a day in which to leave people in suffering, but a day to stop our 
worldly occupations, a day to remember our Creator and to do 
works of charity. John shows in his gospel that it was the public 
opinion that Jesus broke the Sabbath; but he broke only the 
Sabbath of the Pharisees, namely the traditions thy had of their 
own. 

In comforting the troubled and weary, and healing the sick, 
Jesus did not break the Sabbath. For, according to Isaiah it was 
the will of God that the Sabbath should be a delight and not a 
burden, a day to leave worldly occupations and business trans¬ 
actions. Paul said to Agrippa concerning the mission and resur¬ 
rection of Christ, This thing was not done in a corner. If God had 
changed the law would He have kept silence and not let us known 
it? No; it is written, Nothing doeth the Lord God but He makes 
it known to His servants. He did let us know by prophecy con¬ 
cerning that beast which blasphemed His Name and thought to 
change times and laws, and gave us signs additional that the same 
beast should be wounded and his wound healed, and that three 
horns should be pulled up in the sight of the beast. This was the 
overthrow of the Arian powers, the three horns of Daniel, the 
powers of those nations who rejected the doctrine of the Homoou- 
sion, the doctrine that Christ would overrule the law of God. Those 
Arian powers had wounded the pretensions of the papacy 

Jesus says, I am not come to do my own will, but His that 
sent me; and, Not every one that says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter 
into the kingdom, but he that does the will of my Father which 
is in heaven. God warned us, that if a prophet’s teaching be not 
in harmony with His word, then the truth is not in it. Therefore, 
if Jesus had taught anything against God’s commandments he 
would himself have been a sinner. His sacrificial suffering and 
death could not destroy any of the ten commandments, it only set 
aside the old sacrificial ordinances and put the covenant of the law 
of faith in their place. Jesus was the agent of God. By him the 
worlds were created. And he was the agent of God when he came 


194 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI, § /. 


in the flesh, the representative of God’s majesty. Speaking in the 
Name and in the words of the Father he was the angel of the 
presence of Jehovah that led Israel out of Egypt, as we read in 
Acts 7:38. He is Michael (signifying “One like God”), the arch¬ 
angel whose voice shall awaken the dead. He loved the will of 
the Father and kept His commandments;* and thus was he one 
with the Father. (See Ch. V.) We also through Christ become 
sons of God by faith and obedience, as God Himself testified, say¬ 
ing, “Here are they which keep the commandments of God and 
have the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12. 

It is inexplicable that any man can teach that God’s law has 
been changed and partly abolished, while the Scripture so plainly 
shows that it was on account of the transgression of the law of 
God that the covenants, both the old and the new, were necessary, 
and for that reason were added thereto through the grace of God. 
The law of the Lord is holy and perfect. Of old God ordained it 
by angels, Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2. Jesus therefore commanded his 
disciples to pray the Father, that their flight out of Jerusalem 
should not fall on the Sabbath. The flight of the Christians before 
the destruction of Jerusalem took place 37 years after Christ’s 
resurrection and is therefore, even alone, positive proof that Christ 
never thought of the abolition of the Sabbath commandment. He 
showed us in his sermon on the mount, Matth. 5, the breadth and 
profound meaning of God’s commandments, and that it was his 
delight to keep them. Aside from the Bible, there is also an 
abundance of historical proof that the primitive Christians kept 
the Sabbath and that their flight out of Jerusalem fell on a 
Wednesday. 

Often we hear it said, that the law and the prophets are no 
more, because Jesus said. The law and the prophets were until 
John and that since then the gospel of the kingdom of God is 
preached. Did Jesus say by this that the law and the prophets are 
no more? By no means. To use our modern way of expression, 
he said, that until John there was only the law and the prophets, 
but that since then the gospel of the kingdom is preached also. For 
we have at present not only the law and the old prophets, but also 

* This is love, that we walk after His commandments. This is the 
commandment that as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should 
walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess 
not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. 2 John, 6; 7, 



Testimonies on the Observance of the Sabbath. 195 


the great promises concerning the coming kingdom of God. There¬ 
fore immediately upon the above statement Jesus added that it 
were “easier for heaven and earth to pass away than one jot or 
title of the law to fail.” 

The Roman church boasts that she has instituted the observ¬ 
ance of Sunday by the authority, which she says, she received of 
Christ. Revelation shows, however, on the contrary that she re¬ 
ceived her power from the dragon.* She instituted Sunday ob¬ 
servance because throughout the Roman empire the pagans already 
kept the “Day of the Sun.” Therefore, as far as the power of the 
papacy extended the custom of Sunday keeping was not dropped 
even after paganism was fallen. The papacy always strove after 
popularity. Already as early as about the end of the second cen¬ 
tury (before paganism was overthrown) the Roman church saw 
that the adoption of the Sunday instead of continuing to observe 
the Sabbath in company with the despised Jews would bring great 
numbers to her from all nations. For by this change her follow¬ 
ers did not incur penalties from the worldly governments for work¬ 
ing, six days in the week. She therefore gave her hand to the 
worldly powers and adopted their day and coveted their favor 
and rebelled against God. If she had not made this change all 
Christendom would most probably have continued till now to keep 
the Lord’s day instead of Sunday. God declared that He is the 
Husband of the Church. See Jsa. ch. 54. Therefore this act of 
adopting the Sunday would alone be sufficient to show that the 
Roman church is not the Church of God. The popedom is that law¬ 
less power of which Paul foretold that it should arise publicly. 
And the Greek and Protestant sects asknowledged the authority 
of the harlot by following her in this and many other of her doc¬ 
trines. 

He that loves God will keep His commandments. Christ gave 
the Church authority only in matters of church government to bind 
and loose, not contrary to, but in conformity with the law of God. 
as we see it exemplified bv Peter, and also by Paul concerning that 
wicked person in his letter to the Corinthians. Christ did not go 
contrary to God’s commandments, neither did his apostles. In 
the affairs of this world we notice the same rule. If, for example, 

* Ch. VII of this book has proven that the papacy is the first beast 
spoken of in Rev. ch. 13, to whom the dragon (v. 2) gave his seat and 
great authority. 



196 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § 7. 


a king or government sends a messenger with full power into a 
foreign country he can nevertheless not go contrary to the instruc¬ 
tions. Neither did Jesus, John 12.49,50. No church that goes 
contrary to God’s commandments is the true Church. The Scrip¬ 
ture says: “The saints shall judge the world.” How shall they 
judge? “The books shall be opened,” and men shall be judged 
“according to their works” (not according to their creeds). When 
the kingdom of God shall appear with power, then shall no other 
law and no other works remain but those of God; and every plant 
that our Heavenly Father has not planted, shall be pulled up. 

Some, but especially Roman Catholics, argue from the 15th 
verse of the 5th chapter of Deuteronomy that God commanded the 
Israelites to keep the Sabbath because He led them out of the 
Egyptian bondage. But this argument is false. Deuteronomy 
(unlike the rest of the books of Moses) is the book of the recapitu¬ 
lation of the law and acts of God by Moses in his own words, fin¬ 
ished probably by Joshua, and is interspersed with many of Moses’ 
own words. The above mentioned passage is an exhortation of 
Moses in which he tells the Israelites that the love and goodness of 
God, who led them out of slavery into a good land, ought to incite 
them to love the Lord and keep His commandments. This same 
admonition we find in the same chapter already in the introductory 
to all the ten commandments, and for the third time also at the 
conclusion of the chapter. In the last place Moses admonishes 
the children of Israel again to obey the Lord’s commandments, 
saying: “Observe ye then to do as the Lord, your God, hath com¬ 
manded you; turn not aside, neither to the right nor the left. Al¬ 
together in the way which the Lord, your God, hath commanded 
you, shall ye walk; in order that ye may live, and that it may be 
well with you, and that you may remain many days in the land 
which ye will possess.” 

The Lord made no promises, neither by the old nor the new 
covenant, to any save only to them that are grafted into the com¬ 
monwealth of Israel and keep God’s commandments and are there¬ 
fore of Israel. Neither circumcision, nor baptism, nor any belief is 
of any use to those who reject God’s commandments. No promises 
are given to the heathen as heathen, but only if they turn to God 
and enter through Christ into the family of God. The Lord said, 
“And a new covenant will I make with the house of Israel” (that 
is the new covenant in Christ). “But unto the wicked God saith, 


Testimonies on the Observance of the Sabbath. 197 


What hast thou to do to declare My statutes, or that thou shouldest 
take My covenant in thy mouth? seeing that thou hatest instruc¬ 
tion and castest My words behind thee.” How beautifully did Paul 
show this truth in his letter to the Romans, and in that to the 
Ephesians wherein he writes to them that had been strangers 
and heathens, that through Christ they were received through 
grace as fellow citizens with the saints in the commonwealth of 
Israel, because they (like Cornelius, Acts ch. 10) had begun to 
walk after the same holy commandments for which God before had 
prepared them that they might walk in them; and further, that 
he that is not engrafted into the stock of Israel (which is the 
tame olive tree) has no share in its riches. Compare Rom. 11:17, 
etc., with Eph. 2:10,12, etc. 

Sunday, as the term correctly implies, was in pagan times 
the day of the sun (in Latin: Dies solis). The first “written 
law” concerning Sunday observance that we are acquainted with 
was enacted by Constantine, the Roman emperor, in March 321. 
It demanded that “all judges, town people and handicraftsmen 
should abstain from following their vocations on the venerable 
day of the sun. Farmers were not forced to rest because the em¬ 
peror concluded that damage might often occur to agriculture by 
omission of work on certain favorable days in seeding and harvest 
times. This was a pagan law, given in honor to the sun (as its 
own language proves). Constantine proclaimed it in the exercise 
of his authority as Pontifex Maximus of the pagan Roman state 
religion. At that time Constantine was yet a zealous worshipper 
of Apollo, the Sungod, and undoubtedly he cherished the hopes 
of being yet able to preserve part of the sinking pomp and worldly 
splendor of the old pagan religion of Rome, over which Christianity 
had already gotten the advantage. Notice, that this Sunday law 
was enacted sixteen years before Constantine professed his conver¬ 
sion and faith in Christ by baptism. Notice further, that the said 
law does not say which one of the days of the week was the day of 
the sun: because the heathen kept the first day of the week from 
of old as the lay of the sun. 

It was Constantine’s desire that the day of the sun should 
also be honored by the “odious brood of the Jews,” as he hatingly 
called them, and furthermore by all Christians. Unboubtedly 
the reason why in the first place he ventured to enact that law, 
was, because he saw that the church of Rome had already (since 


198 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . XVI, l 1 . 


about the year 200) commenced to keep Sunday as a festival day 
and began to profane the Sabbath by fasting on it. The church 
of Rome had undertaken to make the Sabbath a fast day for the 
purpose of making Sabbath observance burdensome, and had sanc¬ 
tioned the observance of Sunday for the purpose of favoring the 
heathen population to come over to her and to antagonize other 
church communities, especially those of Asia. Constantine, in his 
cunning, took advantage of the confusion which the innovation of 
the papal church had caused and by which she had come in con¬ 
flict with all the Eastern churches. He took sides with the im¬ 
pure church and enforced the keeping of Sunday by a written stat¬ 
ute. This enboldened the papacy and she stood up with an author¬ 
ity not assumed before, namely, to move the festival of Easter 
cause it to fall always on Sundays and to anathematize as Judaizers 
and Heretics all Christians that yet kept Easter upon its Scrip¬ 
tural time. This she accomplished at the council of Nice (four 
years after Constantine had made the pagan Sunday a lawful 
day of rest). Yet it took a struggle of 300 years more, and the 
help of the political powers, until the papacy finally succeeded to 
stamp out the public keeping of the Sabbath in all countries and 
to persecute Sabbath keepers as heretics. Over the argument of 
Sunday observance the papacy shook hands with the political 
power and gained for herself favor and succor. She also did away 
with the intent of the Sabbath observance, that it should be 
a memorial of the Creator, and made Sunday a memorial of the 
resurrection of Christ. Thereby she deluded the people in two 
w$ys: first, because God never gave such commandment; and sec¬ 
ond, because Jesus rose from the dead in the end of the Sabbath 
and was already risen on the first day of the week.* The uttering 
of great words against the Most High by the papacy and her think¬ 
ing to change times and laws was foretold in Dan. 7:8, 25. She 
assumed power to overrule God’s commandments, and, setting up 
the doctrine of the Homoousion, she attacked the law which 
says, Hear, 0 Israel, the Lord, thy God, is One. She said she re¬ 
ceived from Christ this authority (while it was from the dragon). 
Sunday observance was the first step of the Harlot in her fornica- 

* That the time set by the papacy for the celebration of Christ’s 
resurrection does not fit the testimony of the Bible and does not 
include any part of the proper time will be fully proven in the next 
paragraph. 



Testimonies on the Observance of the Sabbath. 199 

tion. And in our own time it is yet the last link by which her 
union with the earthly governments is not yet dissolved. But 
never w T as she able to crush out Sabbath observance entirely. 
Though she did in public, she could not reach the flock in the wil¬ 
derness. Sabbath observance was and is and will be to the very 
last the greatest mark of God’s people. 

There is not one single passage in the New Testament that en¬ 
joins a sabbath-like observance of Sunday. The ancient Sab¬ 
bath was therefore not dropped by any Christians in any country 
as long as the power of the Roman church and other state churches 
did not extend over the same. Thus in Abyssinia, where the pap¬ 
acy never gained a perfect foothold until about four hundred years 
ago, the Sabbath is kept yet, notwithstanding that the Sunday was 
also introduced. A few remnants of Arian Visigoths in the south 
of France and in Spain kept the Sabbath as late as the eighth 
century. Traces of Sabbath keepers were yet found in France in 
the fifteenth century; but their meetings on the Sabbath were 
branded as meetings for witchcraft and communions with the devil. 
In Germany and Switzerland the Sabbath of the Lord began to be 
called Hexensabbath, and in England the Witches’ Sabbath. This 
name is heard sometimes yet. It originatel in the Dark Ages when 
the ignorant people and their likewise ignorant priests accused 
the persecuted Sabbath keepers of fellowship with Satan. 

In the Protestants’ following the Roman church in keeping 
Sunday, the Roman Catholics see the acknowledgment of the au¬ 
thority of their church. They say that the Protestants recognize 
the right of the Roman church to change the law, which according 
to Scripture alone could not be done; and that therefore Protest¬ 
ants should also keep the other customs, feasts and holy days en¬ 
joined by the Roman church, “the one and universal and true 
church.” Roman Catholics have often challenged Protestants to 
prove Sunday observance by the Scripture, and have told and shown 
that there is no other authority for Christians to keep Sunday but 
only the authority of the Roman Catholic church. Priest Enright 
of Kansas City offered to pay a thousand dollars to any one that 
could prove the contrary, etc. 

The Scripture never calls Sunday the Lord’s Day. Therefore 
the Lord’s day on which John was in the Spirit on the isle of Pat- 
mos was certainly the Sabbath day. Only the Sabbath day is 
called in the Scripture The day of the Lord, thy God. The Bible 


200 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . XVI , l 1. 


name for Sunday is The first of the week. Monday is The second, 
etc. Luther’s strange translation of Matth. 28:1 has darkened 
several passages. Some, however, did yet worse. In all the old 
French and Swedish Bibles Rev. 1:10 reads, that John was in the 
Spirit on the Isle of Patmos on Sunday. Thus the original, which 
reads “ . . . on the Lord’s day ...” was not respected 
at all. In some late additions this gross error is now corrected. 
The said mistranslation caused ignorant people firmly to believe 
that John observed the Sunday as the Sabbath. The unlearned 
“inhabiters of the earth and sea” were thus deceived (Rev. 12:12). 
They were kept under by the two cruel witnesses (state and 
church) that ruled over them during the 1260 prophetic days (Rev. 
11:6), the 42 months, while the true church was in the wilderness 
(Rev. 12:14).* 

The Sabbath will be kept forever according to prophecy (Isa. 
66) ; for it was given man to commemorate the accomplishment 
of the creation. If we love God we shall fulfill His commandments 
with delight. The whole law and the prophets hang in this, that 
We love God and our neighbor. The Scripture says: “This is 
the love of God that we keep His commandments.” “He that saith 
he loves God but keepethnnot His commandments is a liar, and the 
truth is not in him.” 

Because all men have sinned, God in His mercy provided a 
way for salvation. He gave us an additional law, the law of faith 
in Christ Jesus. Through it the righteousness of Christ is im¬ 
puted on us, and thus can we receive pardon from our past trans¬ 
gressions. To Israel of old was likewise given such a law of recon¬ 
ciliation; but it consisted in works and sacrifices that were not 
perfect as yet; for they could only point to Christ. That old cov¬ 
enant law required also the observance of certain ceremonial sab¬ 
baths, and the paying of the tenth of all produce to sustain a hered¬ 
itary priesthood. But now that burden is removed. We have no 
ceremonial sabbaths, therefore also no Sunday-sabbath. 

* But, even in our own time there are yet some that do what was 
done in the Dark Ages. The Methodist Sunday School lesson for Jan¬ 
uary 18th, 1903, was on Paul’s preaching at Thessalonica and Berea, 
Acts 17:1-12. The first and second verses read, that Paul, as his 
manner was, went into the Jewish synagogue and reasoned with the 
Jews on three Sabbath days out of the Scriptures. Now, in the Senior 
Quarterly the question that was made on this verse was: “What did 
Paul do on three consecutive Sundays?” 



Testimonies on the Observance of the Sabbath. 


201 


Some don’t seem to notice that there were ceremonial Sabbaths 
under the old covenant, and that it was of such that Paul spoke in his 
letter to the Colossians, ch. 2.—Since the destruction of the sanctuary 
at Jerusalem those peculiar sabbaths can no longer be kept. Men 
can no longer go thither and present themselves before the Aaronic 
priesthood. God made the proper observanve of those sabbaths impos¬ 
sible for the present. Compare Rom 11:28. But that those sabbaths 
will be kept again in the time of the restoration of Israel, in the king¬ 
dom of Christ (during the millennium) is taught by the prophets. They 
are yet on the handwriting, covered with a coating, thereby made 
invisible (exaleipho) and nailed to the cross. See Ch. XIX. Paul con¬ 
sidered it not objectionable to keep certain days as rest days and holy 
days aside from the regular Sabbath if one so chooses. He says, “Let 
no man judge you . . that is, Let no man decide for you in 

this respect. He meant that everyone might act in such matters after 
his own desire or conscience, because we have no commandment to 
keep such. He certainly meant such which God had ordained under 
the old covenant, but not such that are entirely of human origin. 
When during the second century the Gentile Christians began to keep 
Sunday in a sabbath-like manner they nevertheless kept the seventh 
day. 

Christ Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant, and his 
blood is the sacrifice. He is no lawgiver of himself, but the agent 
and messenger of God to fallen man; he came as a teacher and 
magnifier of the law of God. He said, “I am not come to do my 
own will, but the will of the Father Who sent me.” And when 
he shall return to receive his kingdom then shall this saying, that 
he was sent to find and bring back what was lost, become entirely 
fulfilled. All man-made laws shall pass away, and all things shall 
be brought again to God, 1 Cor. 15 :28. Jesus said, It is easier for 
heaven and earth pass away than for one jot or tittle of the law 
to fail. The fourth commandment is more than but one jot or tittle; 
and it says that every one shall keep it, even the stranger that is 
within thy gates. No righteous man will therefore hire any one to 
serve in worldly business on the Sabbath. 

Works of mercy must be done on the Sabbath voluntarily, 
with love and pleasure, not for wages. To let any one suffer and 
not exercise charity on account of the Sabbath is as sinful as, on 
the other hand, it is to do common labor on the Sabbath. God hal¬ 
lowed the Sabbath for the good of man, first for his spiritual good, 
and secondly to do works of love for the suffering. It is to be a day 
of delight, said the Lord by Isaiah. It was a great sin for that man 
in the wilderness to gather sticks on the Sabbath and make a fire, 
when “none of the people lacked anything” and “none were sick,” 


202 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch.XVI^l. 


and the climate in the plain of Sinai is warm and besides, it was 
summer time. That man therefore needed no fire; but he dared 
God, and for that reason was stoned. He profaned the Sabbath in¬ 
tentionally by doing needless work. But we are not to suffer on 
the Sabbath, and are not only free to do works of charity, but we 
honor the Lord by doing such works. We would indeed sin, if we 
should not warm ourselves on a cold day, or stay in a ditch, if we 
fell in, etc. Jesus, when he allowed his disciples to pull grain to 
quiet their hunger, said, that the son of man is lord also of the 
Sabbath. He could use his judgment the same as the high priest 
did who judged he was right in giving the showbread to David and 
his companions on the Sabbath, when they were in distress.* 

To abstain from worldly labor on the seventh day was and is 
obligatory on all, on the uncircumcised as well as on the children 
of Israel. It was enjoined on man from the beginning. The state¬ 
ment of the fact that the Lord sanctified the Sabbath at the crea¬ 
tion of man was not omitted from the Scripture, and this undoubt¬ 
edly for the reason of stopping the argument that the Sabbath 
was only a Levitical ordinance, and that it became no law until 
430 years after Abraham. The Sabbath commandment belongs 
to the fundamental and immutable law of God, of which Paul says, 
“Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid; nay, we 
establish the law.” The fundamental law remains forever; but the 
others were added to serve only for a certain time. Under the old 
ceremonial statutes strangers were excluded from participating 
with Israelites in the rites of worship. But in the latter days, after 
the Babylonian captivity, the Gentiles and eunuchs and all man¬ 
kind were invited, that they might be ready for the reception of the 
gospel of Christ, see Haggai ch. 2, and Isa. ch. 56. It was God’s 
plan, foretold in Dan. ch 7 and ch. 8, that through Alexander’s 
conquests Greek became the universal language. Into it the 
Scriptures were translated over 200 years before Christ. Then the 
Sabbath commandment was held up before all nations with great 
emphasis, see Isa. ch. 56 and ch. 58: 13, 14. The Gentiles, thus 
prepared, came by thousands upon thousands to the knowledge of 
God, as for example, Cornelius the Boman, and the Ethiopian eu- 

* The term Son of Man, though relating to Jesus, is applicable 
secondarily to us also, as it was to Ezekiel and to all men. We can 
certainly know, and ought to know, from the reading of God’s word, 
what is lawful and what is not. 



Testimonies on the Observance of the Sabbath . 203 

nuch, to whom Christ was preached because they loved God and 
delighted in keeping His commandments. Our calling and elec¬ 
tion are made sure through the law of faith: if we keep the com¬ 
mandments of God. The Lord testified by Jeremiah that Jeru¬ 
salem would never have been destroyed if the inhabitants had kept 
the Sabbath; for the ten commandments can not be broken. 

That the ten commandments which were given on Mount 
Sinai are perfect, and can therefore not be changed is also shown 
by this, that to them “God added no more,” Deut. 5:22; that Cod 
wrote them on tables of stone; that Moses was commanded to lay 
them by themselves into the ark for a testimony that the observ¬ 
ance of those commandments conditions the preservation of life, 
and that for the reason of their having been broken God in mercy 
“added” the sacrificial laws, first the covenant by Moses, and sec¬ 
ond, that by Christ, and that through those covenants men might 
be reinstated. Moses therefore was commanded to write all other 
commandments, both sacrificial and non-sacrificial by his hand and 
lay them outside the ark, showing that all these other laws are 
secondary: namely, some are sacrificial, and some are but interpre¬ 
tations of the ten commandments. For example, the law against 
eating unhealthy meats is based upon the sixth commandment, 
Thou shalt not kill, inasmuch as it is suicide to injure our health, 
etc. No man can be pardoned for past transgressions by the future 
keeping of the commandments. God is holy and righteous. He 
can not overlook faults like men. Faults must be remedied, other¬ 
wise how could His creation stand, and not fall into confusion? 
Faults must be remedied and atoned for. And God has provided 
for this a full substitute, a ransom. He has sent Christ to die for 
us, and gave us through him the new covenant law, namely, the 
law of faith by which we are saved, provided we love God and do 
not wilfully break His conmmandments. This is what also Paul 
teaches in Rom. ch. 3, etc. 

It is not right, nor convenient, to make collections in the Sab¬ 
bath meetings. Paul therefore wrote to the Corinthian brethren 
(1 Cor. 16:1,2) that they should lay aside at home on the first 
day of every week their offerings for the poor. We find in the Acts 
of the Apostles that Paul preached every Sabbath at Corinth, etc. 
And from the fact that scriptural days are not counted from mid¬ 
night to midnight, but commence and end at sunset, it will be 
seen also, that when Paul preached at Troas in the night, which 


204 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. XVI , 2 7. 


was the first part of the first day of the week, and undoubtedly a 
continuation of the Sabbath meeting, he then continued his jour¬ 
ney on foot in the morning, or second part of the first day of the 
week. This was also the comment that Calvin (himself a Sunday 
keeper) made on that chapter. Evening and morning is a day 
according to Scripture—darkness first half, light the second half. 
Besides, verse 11 tells us that Paul departed from Troas at break 
of day, or, as we now would call it, Sunday morning. But this 
custom of continuing the service of God after the Sabbath was 
past and holding love feasts in the evening, or beginning, of the 
first day of the week (after sunset) never altered the command¬ 
ment of God. It did not abolish the observance of the seventh 
day. Paul’s injunction to the Corinthians to provide for the col¬ 
lections on the first day of the week teaches us also, that Paul 
would have his brethren prepare on Friday what was necessar}^ for 
the Sabbath. He had those who could give the poor a share of their 
income to delay the accounts of the past week until the first day of 
the next. To prepare for Sabbath necessities before the Sabbath 
drew on was an old custom, in order that the Sabbath could be 
kept aright and have no burdens. The first example of a prepara¬ 
tion for the Sabbath is given concerning the gathering of the 
manna on Fridays. The second example we find in Ex. ch. 19, in 
the preparations for that notable Sabbath when the ten command¬ 
ments were proclaimed by the voice of God. 

The observance of the Sabbath, or Lord's day, has ever been, 
and forever will be a mark which distinguishes the Lord’s people 
from the world. The observance of Sunday, however, is of human 
origin. The worship of the sun was the most ancient form of idol¬ 
atry. It was spread over the whole earth, and the first day of the 
week was dedicated to it. So by the Babylonians and by the Ro¬ 
mans. Even after Christ, as late as the fourth century, the Ro¬ 
mans put the birthday of Christ on the 25th of December, because 
they had kept that day in pagan times as a sun-festival. They had 
celebrated it as the day of the return or, new birth of the sun after 
the winter solstice. The etymology of the different nations in 
naming their sungod is significant and instructive. The root of 
the different names is the Hebrew El (that is, God). Thus the 
Baal of the Phoenicians is the Bel of the Chaldeans and the 
(A)poll of the Greeks. We find this 1 in the Latin Sol and in the 
Greek Helios, and in many other languages. The fact that the 


Testimonies on the Observance of the Sabbath. 205 


Greeks called their sungod Apollo proves that they must have 
received their sunworship from the Shemites: for Bel and Baal and 
Mol (och) are names for the same god. The German term “hell” 
i. e. bright, or light, is certainly of the same origin as Hel(ios) 
which is the Greek name for the orb of light.* 

The pagans chose the first day of the week for holding on it 
their most important state councils and elections and public feasts. 
Is it therefore not significant that the most tumultuous and most 
fatal of all the sessions of the French National convention during 
the Reign of Terror fell on Sundays? By introducing the sensual 
Baal worship the apostate kings of Israel sought to strengthen 
themselves against Judah, and to keep their people from going 
to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem. Tertullian encouraged Chris¬ 
tians to hold meetings on Sundays, because that the heathen cus¬ 
tom of meeting on Sundays afforded a good opportunity to get a 
numerous auditory. Memorials of the political meetings of the 
pagans on Sundays we find yet in our own time in Switzerland, 
probably also in other countries. In the oldest democracies of the 
Swiss confederation, as Uri and Appenzell, the annual elections 
for the chief officers of state are yet held on Sundays. Also in 
states that have a representative form of government elections and 
council meetings were, to the knowledge of the writer, held in 
towns and villages as late as 1880. The Roman church did not sup¬ 
press these customs, or rather did not care to suppress them during 
the Dark Ages when she could easily have done it, as she then had 
power to enforce all her demands. 

The Roman church always gave her hand to the world and com¬ 
promised with them that would not dispute her claim of being the true 
Church. But those who would not subscribe to her innovations and 
would take the Scripture alone for their guide, no matter how pure 
and Christlike their lives were, were persecuted unto the death. In 
“The Gospel in all Lands” of January, 1886, is this passage: “In 596 
Pope Gregory sent St. Augustine (an Italian monk) with forty asso¬ 
ciates to convert England. Augustine was made Bishop of Canterbury 
with instructions to “use the idol temples as churches after purifying 
them with holy water, and not to abolish, but to convert into Christian 
saints-days and festivals the times of heathen observance and sacrifice .” 


* The Ancient-German term Hela and its English and Modern- 
German derivatives Hell and Hoelle, may have some relation to the heat 
and brightness of fire, which according to popular belief is said to be 
in the inferno, notwithstanding the opinion of grammaticians whp 
say that it is derived from another root 




206 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § 1. 


The papal church teaches that she has instituted the keeping 
of Sunday by her own plenipotentiary power which, she says, Peter 
received of Christ and transmitted to the popes.* She went against 
God’s commandments, and yet claims to be the true Church, and 
teaches the youth out of her cathechism as follows: “Question. 
What do you believe ? Answer. I believe whatever the holy Roman 
Catholic church teaches, whether it be written in the Bible or not.” 

The seventh day is the Sabbath which the Lord has sanctified 
and commanded us to keep, and of which He said that it is a sign 
between Him and His people. The law of the Lord is perfect. It 
can not be improved. To celebrate Sunday in commemoration of 
Christ’s resurrection is not justified by the word of God, but was 
brought in by the Roman church as an excuse for her compromise 
with the heathen and the worldly governments that had respected 
the day as a fastival of Baal, the sungod. 

In the face of all the foregoing testimonies some will still 
say, What difference does it make which day I keep? and: Can I 
not keep the Sunday to the Lord as well as the seventh? Such 
men are like those that went out to gather manna on the seventh 
day and found none. It is a test, whether you will keep the Lord’s 
commandment, or no. Sunday keeping instead of keeping the 
seventh day is an act like that of certain Israelites who said: 
“Why should we go up to Jerusalem? We can just as well bring 
sacrifices to God on any hill, or under any green tree!” But in 
those days the commandment was, that they should go to Jeru¬ 
salem before the Lord’s priests; until Shiloh, that is Christ, should 
come. We know what the Lord said concerning such as despised 
His arrangement. See for ex. Sam. 15:22,23. You are like King 
Saul, if you despise God’s commandment and do your own desire. 
If you know that it is the Lord’s commandment to keep the Sab¬ 
bath, and if nevertheless you will go with the world and not keep 
it, neither will you keep the other commandments: for by not keep¬ 
ing the Sabbath you break them also. You profane the Name of 

* Compare with this claim the testimony of prophecy concern¬ 
ing the Little Horn in Dan. 7:25, which reads: “And he shall speak 
great words against the Most High, and think to change times and 
laws . . then the prophecy concerning the plucking off of the 

three horns, and then consult the history concerning the three Arian 
powers; and then see Rev. 13:2, which reads: “. . . and the dragon 

gave him his seat and his power and great authority.” See also Ch. 
VII, the exegesis of Rev. ch. 13. 



Testimonies on the Observance of the Sabbath. 207 

the Lord when you despise His Sabbath commandment. You make 
him your God whose commandment you keep. You take part in 
the fornication of a harlot church by subscribing to her impure 
doctrines. And you are covetous by using the Lord’s day to do your 
own work on it. If you break one of God’s commandments you are 
guilty of all; for they are connected with one another like a chain 
by its links. This is the reason why the Lord said by Jeremiah 
when the Babyloniams destroyed Jerusalem: that if the people had 
kept the Sabbath, the city would never have been' destroyed. For 
when they broke that commandment they did not care much for 
any and were guilty of all. If you knowingly and willingly dese¬ 
crate the Sabbath, you will slight also the doctrine of Christ. You 
will also commence to commit unclean acts, you will probably go 
and take interest from the poor, or do other un-Christian things. 
Now, many will say. This is too strong; the world is getting better 
and wiser; faith is all that is required; and so forth. But, will 
God be mocked? Will God accept any one on faith alone, and with¬ 
out his turning away from iniquity? or, has any one faith with¬ 
out works? What is it that first torments a person who becomes 
awakened by the light of divine knowledge? Is it not the trans¬ 
gression of the law? Repentance works a Reformation, a turning 
away from iniquity. Works prove our faith and our love of God. 
Faith without works is dead; and to them that say Lord, lord, 
but do not the things which God has commanded, Jesus will say, 
‘^Depart from me ye workers of iniquity!” If a man will not first 
keep a commandment according to the letter, how will he ever 
keep it spiritually in all its depth and breadth? The great apos- 
tacy which Paul foresaw was the lawlessness of the papacy. We 
have proven that the apostle Paul kept the Sabbath; but he also 
had a thorn in the flesh, so he said, and probably it was rashness. 
For he said a few things which, if he had reflected, he would un¬ 
doubtedly not have said, namely, certain things which he said by 
himself, and not by inspiration, 1 Cor. 7:25. For example, it was 
either right or wrong to eat meat offered to idols. There is no 
middle way. The Spirit instructed the twelve apostles to write to 
the Gentiles that they also should abstain from eating meats of¬ 
fered to idols, but Paul thought again that a man might have lib¬ 
erty to do it, if none of the weak brethren might see him and be¬ 
come offended, 1 Cor. ch. 8. But, weakness in a brother is but one 
reason. The principal reason is this, that we should not go con- 


208 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § /. 


trary to that commandment which was given by the Holy Ghost to 
the brethren at Jerusalm, Acts ch. 15, and which is but an outcome 
of the second commandment of the decalogue, that we should in no 
way countenance by personal presence or pecuniary help anything 
that is unlawful. We must hold to the law and the testimony. 
Whatsoever is contrary to this is not pure. Isa. 8:20. Eev. 
2:14, 20. 

Again, there are some who excuse themselves by saying that 
the work of redemption was greater than the work of creation, and 
that the sealing, or confirmation of the work of redemption fell on 
the first day of the week, and that for this reason it is right to keep 
Sunday. These are assertions without proof. As to the first, 
remember what Jesus said, Whether is greater? the gift or the altar 
that halloweth the gift? Consider, where would the redemption 
be, if there was nothing created? And as to the second, please 
notice that the Scripture does not say that Jesus rose on the first 
day of the week, but that we was risen, that is, he was already 
risen; and read § 2 of this chapter in which it is clearly proven 
that Jesus was crucified on the fourth day of the week, that he was 
three days and three nights in the bosom of the earth, and that 
the resurrection took place before the Sabbath was past, and that 
therefore the memorial of the creation and the confirmation of the 
sacrificial work of Christ by his being raised from the dead, do 
fall on the same day.* If you keep the Sabbath you keep the day 
on which Christ rose from the dead. But even if the resurrection 
had taken place on the first day of the week it would not have 
changed the commandment which was from the beginning. Jesus 
said to his disciples, Pray ye that your flight (out of Jerusalem) 
be not on the Sabbath, Matth. 24:20. And Rev. 13:16,17, tells 
us where we shall find the mark of the true worshipers of God 
and the mark of the papacy, namely, in the forehead and in the 
right hand; we remember the Lord's day mentally (in the fore¬ 
head and 2) do no hand labor on it. 

Significant is also the fact, that it was never possible to shape 
the keeping of Sunday Scripture-like, as the Sabbath was kept. 
While the Sabbath is a rest day from labor for all men, whether 
bond or free, it is also a day of delight, a day to enjoy good things 

* We say only the sacrificial work of Christ. For the work of 
Christ, the restitution of all things whereof the prophets have spoken, 
will not be completed until after his return, in the ages to come. 



Testimonies on the Observance of the Sabbath. 209 


both, for the body and the spirit—not a day of bondage like Sunday 
was kept by the Puritans of New England, nor as it now often is: 
the most straining day for livery horses and for women in 
kitchens.* Matth. 12:1-12 and Isa. 58:13,14 show us that the holy 
day of the Lord should be esteemed as a special joy and rest for 
man and beast, and that God sanctified it for our good. On the 
Sabbath we have time to study the Scripture, and can meditate on 
the great promises of God, and draw ourselves away from worldly 
things, neither are we impeded to do good and elevate others by 
giving them knowledge of divine things. We should not sabbath- 
ize like Pharisees in a spirit of bondage, but keep the day as Jesus 
kept it. It is contrary to God’s commandments to use the Sabbath 
as a day of feasting or mourning. It is to be a day of delight, a 
day to teach divine truths and to care for the sick and distressed. 
The keeping of the Sabbath is a perpetual sign between the Lord 
and His people. 

What could have been meant by warning the Israelites they 
should not be observers of times? Deut. 18:10. Were the Israel¬ 
ites not commanded to observe certain days as feasts, etc? Why 
was Manasseh, in 2 Ki. 21:6 called an observer of times, seeing 
that the Lord had commanded the observance of many feasts in 
their set times under the old covenant? Answer: because Manas¬ 
seh considered it his duty to observe days and times which the 
pagans kept and which the Lord had not commanded to keep. So 
are we transgressors, as Manasseh was, if we keep not the day 
which the Lord told us to keep, but keep Sunday and other days 
religiously, as if it were our duty, for which God gave us no com¬ 
mandment. 

No nation would ever have sunken into idolatry and ignor¬ 
ance had they never omitted to observe the Sabbath in remem¬ 
brance of the Almighty Creator, Who rules over all and by Whom 
and to Whom all things are. Man lives not by bread alone, but by 
every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Therefore 
it is needful, that men’s minds should wander back to Him, the 
source of light and truth. 

Any teaching that does not harmonize with God’s law is 
erroneous. Those who think that the apostles esteemed Sunday as 


* Cows should not be milked on the Sabbath. The writer did let 
them stay with the calves in the pasture till the Sabbath was over. 
He also found by so doing that the calves thrived better and that 
the cows loved to come home more regular during the week. 



210 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI. 


a sacred day are specially referred to the testimonials in the next 
paragraph. John saith: “He that saith I know Him and keepeth 
not His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 
The law and the prophets were the test by which the mission of 
Christ Jesus had to be proved to the Jews, and it is so plain that 
none can err therein. Man-made doctrines are false lights; those 
that walk by them will stumble; but the entrance of the word of 
God dispels the darkness. Isaiah says, ch. 50:10, “Who is among 
you that feareth the Lord, and that obeyeth the voice of His ser¬ 
vant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light? Let him trust 
in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God.” But concerning 
the false teachers God says: “Behold all yet that kindle a fire, that 
compass yourselves about with sparks; walk in the way of your 
fire and in the sparks that you have kindled! This shall ye have 
of Mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.” 


§ 2 The Relation of the Feasts of Easter and Pentecost to 
the Observance of Sunday, and the Great Sign of the 
Messiahship of Jesus, or, The Time Between Christ’s 
Burial and Resurrection. 

It is said, that whereas Pentecost is exactly fifty days from 
Easter, and Easter is on Sunday: therefore Pentecost was on Sun¬ 
day; and since the apostles were all assembled together on that 
day, this should prove that they were keeping the Sunday, and that 
God had a regard for that day by sending them on it the Holy 
Spirit. Is this not true? 

Indeed, we know that since the council of Nice Easter and 
Pentecost have been kept on Sundays by the so-called orthodox 
churches. But this was not the case in the primitive church, nor 
was it the rule with all the church communities in the West, not 
by far, even as late as the sixth century. 

The Scriptural Pentecost (fifty days from the Passover) did 
not fall on a Sunday in the year when Christ was crucified, but on 
Friday. In this paragraph we shall bring forth the proof for this 
assertion. The regulation that made Easter fall on the first day 
of the week is unscriptural and originated in the Roman church 
which professes to have received it by tradition from the apostles 
Peter and Paul. Through the council of Nice, A. D. 325, she 
established the rule, that Pentecost and 'Easter should not fall on 



The Changing of Times by the Council of Nice . 211 

their anniversary days, as they had been kept by the Christians in 
the East, bnt should be movable feasts and should always fall on 
Sundays, and should nevermore coincide with the old time laid 
down in the Scripture, and that we should have nothing in com¬ 
mon with the Jews. The papacy is that power which is called 
Mystery and Babylon, and also The Mystery of Lawlessness (2 
Thess. 2:7), that power, which in fulfillment of Daniel's proph¬ 
ecy did “think to change times and laws.” She instituted the 
observance of Sunday and called it The Lord’s Day and com¬ 
menced to reckon the days from midnight to midnight after the 
pagan Roman style, instead of “from even to even,” according to 
Bible teaching.* She set up the mass, infant baptism and other¬ 
wise deviated from the teaching of Christ. Her moving Easter 
and Pentecost that they should always fall on Sundays was for 
the apparent purpose to prop up somewhat her claims for the 
sanctity of Sunday and to draw the minds away from the Sabbath. 

We learn from Ex. ch. 12 and Lev. 23 :4 to 6, that Penetcost 
(that is “fifty days”) was counted from the 16th day of the first 
moon after the spring equinox, which is the 16th day of the first 
Jewish month (Nisan), the next day after the old-covenant-sab¬ 
bath of unleavened bread. This was a fixed day (as for example 
our Fourth of July) no matter on what day of the week it might 
fall. But, as already stated, at the council of Nice the feasts of 
Easter and Pentecost were made movable, so that they not only 
should always fall on Sundays, but also that they should never 
coincide with the “Jewish” or Bible days. This change pleased all 
Sunday patrons, especially Constantine, the pagan sunworshiping 
emperor. For he had enacted his Sunday law four years before, 
that all men, except farmers, should “abstain from labor on the 
venerable day of the sun.” By an edict, in 313, he had granted 
toleration to the Christian religion, and therefore by the Sunday- 
law, in 321, did not force any one, whether Pagan or Christian, to 
keep the Sunday religiously. It was the papacy that began to 
attend to that matter; and after a while she also abolished the Sab¬ 
bath. 


* We speak here of natural days that adapt themselves to hus¬ 
bandry and to religion. Of course, for technical use in the present 
world a permanently fixed time, independent of the time of sunset is 
needed. But for this the only natural time and indeed the one now 
accepted is not midnight, but noon, when the sun appears in the zenith. 



212 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § 2 . 


In the year 159 Poly carp, the disciple of John the apostle, 
made a visit to the bishop Anicetas of Rome for the reason that 
then already the church of Rome had begun to use the Sabbath 
for fasting, and because of the increasing tendency in the West 
of omitting the celebration of the Lord’s Supper on its anniver¬ 
sary day of institution which was the 14th of Nisan, the passover 
evening which God had appointed as the day when under the old 
covenant, the passover lamb, foreshadowing the sacrifice of Christ, 
was to be eaten. Anicetas did not as yet call Polycarp a heretic, 
nor dared he already to drop the Sabbath, but it is said he would 
not keep Easter according to the Old Testament time. Sixty-six 
years later, at the said council of Nice the Roman party was nat¬ 
urally in the majority since the unpolluted church had no need 
of new laws and councils and therefore was but little represented. 
And so, the Roman Catholic historians tell us, that it* was ordered 
by the said council of Nice that the celebration of the memorial 
of Christ’s suffering on the paschal day as kept by the Eastern 
communities should cease, and should be forbidden, and that the 
Easter festival should always fall on a Sunday, and that those 
who acted contrary to this were anathematized as heretics, as also 
those that would not accept the doctrine of the Homoousion in 
the Trinity. 

The great struggle of Rome against the Church in the East 
began now in earnest and was kept up afterwards also against the 
early Christians among the Germanic nations in the West. Finally 
the papacy received help sufficient to overthrow every resistence 
in doing away with the Sabbath entirely. Before the end of the 
sixth century the papal church had gained universal power partly 
by force of arms as in France, Italy and Africa, partly by internal 
revolutions in Spain, and partly, as in the British isles by shrewd 
manipulations. And so it came to pass that the tribes yet heathen 
in the central and northeastern parts of Europe were converted 
also by papal missionaries. 

—Moreover, the Scriptures prove that it is a false tradition 
which puts the crucifixion of Christ on a Friday, but that in truth 
it took place on a Wednesday. Bearing in mind that Bible days 
are reckoned from one sunset to another, (see Gen. ch. 1; Lev. 
23:32; Lev. 24:3; Neh. 13:19; Luke 4:40) we find that 
Christ’s keeping the passover (when he instituted the ordinance 
of his Supper), his going into the Garden of Gethsemane, and his 


The Great Sign of the Messiahship of Jesus. 


213 


being arrested., crucified and buried—fell on the same day; and 
that day was the fourteenth day of the Jewish month Nisan (see 
Ex. ch. 12) which was called The Preparation (day) because the 
next day was the great Passoversabbath, or Sabbath of Unleavened 
Bread which John in his Gospel, ch. 19:31, called A high day. 
(Fifty days thereafter was Pentecost). The paseover was eaten 
after sunset according to the commandment, and Jesus was buried 
before the next sunset. We are now going to prove that the cru¬ 
cifixion fell on the fourth day of the week, now called Wednesday, 
and that therefore the day of Pentecost fell that year on the 
sixth day of the week, which is called Friday, and furthermore: 
that Jesus lay in the grave three days and three nights and rose in the 
end of the Sabbath. 

Jesus foretold that he should lie in the tomb three days and 
three nights, and the disciples tell us that on the first day of the 
week he was already risen. Jesus said (Matth. 12:39, 40) “As 
Jonah was three days and three nights in the fislTs belly, so shall 
the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the 
earth.” This was the great sign, the only sign that Jesus gave 
to the Pharisees when they asked him for a sign from heaven 
that he was the Messiah of God. Did this sign fail? If it did, 
then was Jesus not the Christ. 

There are indeed many that will not take the words of Jesus as 
they would if any one else had spoken them. They persuade them¬ 
selves that they meant only three parts of days. But, if Jesus, as they 
presume, was crucified on a Friday and rose according to the Scrip¬ 
ture in the end of the Sabbath (Matt. 28), before the first day of the 
week, then there would not even be as much as three parts of three 
days. For according to Scriptural reckoning the Sabbath ends with 
the setting of the sun, at the time which is now called Saturday at 
sunset. Not artificial clocks, when all men sleep, indicate the begin¬ 
ning and ending of the Sabbath. The Sabbath comes in and goes out 
according to the setting of the great clock and lightspender which God 
has set in the heavens, in order that every person may see and know 
when it comes and when it ends.—The night portion of a natural day 
is called evening in Gen. ch. 1. In Dan. ch. 8 the 2,300 natural days 
were called evening-mornings, because first is the night, and then 
comes the light part, or morning. 

By saying Three days and three nights Jesus specified that 
he was to lie in the tomb three full days, and not only three parts 
of days. Now turn to Deut. ch. 16, and bear in mind that that 
day on which in the evening, or commencement (that is, in the 
fore part of the night) the passover-lamb was eaten, was the prep- 


214 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § 2. 


aration day for the passover-sabbath which followed thereupon. 
At sunset the preparation ended and the passover-sabbath com¬ 
menced. Jesus was crucified on the day before the passover-sab¬ 
bath which is also called The first sabbath of the feast of un¬ 
leavened bread, as it is written in Lev. 23:5, 6, 7: “In the fif¬ 
teenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread 
unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the 
first day ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile 
work therein.” 

The day after the crucifixion which was the first day of 
unleavened bread was called The passover-sabbath because it fol¬ 
lowed the passoverday on which (in the first part of the night) 
the passover-lamb was eaten. As to all the rest of the passover- 
day-proper, the night and the (following) day thereof on which 
Jesus was crucified, till it ended, it was a work day, and a very 
busy one, for it was the preparation day for the passover-sabbath, 
or sabbath of unleavened bread. We repeat, that Jesus was cruci¬ 
fied on the preparation or passover-day-proper (on which, in the 
evening, he, with his disciples, had eaten the passover lamb). 
The priests would not risk to kill Jesus on the following day for 
fear of a sedition among the multitudes which came into Jeru¬ 
salem on that “liigh day” from the country all around: for among 
them many believed in Jesus. If that Highday, or great ceremo¬ 
nial sabbath day, had been the weekly Sabbath they never would 
have talked about slaying Jesus on it, nor would they have gone 
on it to Pilate to negotiate for a watch at the sepulchre; for such 
doings would have been unlawful. On the regular weekly Sabbath 
no such business was allowed to be done. 

The testimony that Jesus ate of the passover lamb in the 
evening which belonged to that same day on which he was slain 
as the Lamb of God for the sins of the world, is incontrovertible; 
and equally firm is this, that the day following the crucifixion 
was the passover-sabbath, or first day of the feast of unleavened 
bread (according to Levitical law). See Lev. 23:4-8; Josh. 5:10, 
11; etc. This sabbath of unleavened bread was the fifth day of 
the week, now commonly called Thursday, because according to 
Christ’s own words and abundant other testimony (which will be 
forthcoming) Jesus lay in the tomb three days and three nights, 
and early on the first day of the week he was alive again. The 
Scripture says not that the day following the crucifixion was the 


The Great Sign of the Messiahship of Jesus. 


215 


weekly Sabbath, nor that Jesus did rise on the first day of the 
week, but that he was risen early on that day. He was already 
risen. Mark 16:9 is no proof that Jesus rose on the first day of 
the week. He appeared to Mary not long after the Sabbath sun¬ 
set, namely early on the first day of the week, the time now com¬ 
monly called Saturday night. See the references on p. 212 showing 
that scriptural days commence and end at sunset. 

In order to make the testimony as plain as possible to all, we 
will repeat, that the day of the crucifixion was the preparation 
da}', not for the weekly Sabbath which is called The Sabbath of 
the Lord, thy God, but for an annual sabbath of the Leviticai 
covenant, namely the passover-sabbath, or first day of the feast 
of unleavened bread. John says in his Gospel, ch. 19, v. 42 that 
“That day was the Jews’ preparation day” and that the following 
da} r was “a high day.” Thus we see again that the day of the 
crucifixion was the preparation day for a Jewish high day, namely 
the first of the days of unleavened bread. John would not have 
called the seventh day A high day: for nowhere in all the Scrip¬ 
ture, neither by him nor any one else, is the regular weekly Sab¬ 
bath thus called. Nor would he have said that the day preceding 
it was a preparation of the Jews only. For to keep holy the Sab¬ 
bath is one of the ten commandments, given to all mankind and 
for all time. And, long before Christ, already thousands and 
thousands of Gentile proselytes kept the Sabbath. 

We have the scriptural proof in § 1 of this chapter that the Sab¬ 
bath of the Lord, or Seventh Day. was kept before the giving of the 
Leviticai law, and that it shall also be kept by all the nations of the 
earth after the present dispensation (see Isa. ch. 66), that therefore it 
is not for the Jews only. In all the Scripture there is therefore no 
such language used in regard to the seventh day as to say it was a 
Jewish sabbath, or Leviticai highday, or ceremonial sabbath. 

The day before the passover sabbath was indeed a day of great 
preparations; it was the busiest of all days for the Jews; not only 
were many animals to be sacrificed on the following day, but it was a 
day of general cleaning up. Before the. passover-sabbath all leaven 
or yeast, and whatsoever contained leaven, had to be removed. Also 
the drawing off of the wine and vinegar from the lees had to be 
finished on that day, if not already done. For according to Leviticai 
law there was not to be seen any leaven (or ferment) in the dwell¬ 
ings of the children of Israel during the feast of unleavened bread; 
and no other but unleavened bread, or cakes, etc., were to be eaten. 
No such great preparations were needed for the common weekly 
Sabbath. Therefore the day on which Jesus was crucified being the 


216 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § 2. 

last day before the passoversabbath was called by John The Jews' 
preparation. 

Luke says in ch. 23, v. 26 that the women rested on the Sab¬ 
bath after they had prepared the spices to anoint the body of 
Jesus. Some therefore think that the women had yet time to 
prepare the ointments immediately before sunset after Christ’s 
burial, and that the Sabbath mentioned by Luke was the day fol¬ 
lowing the crucifixion,—that therefore the passover-sabbath and 
the weekly Sabbath fell on the same day—and that the women 
visited the tomb the next morning. But this is not so. We find 
the truth by setting the testimonies of Mark and Luke together: 
Mark gives us in ch. 16, v. 1, the testimony which Luke omitted, 
namely that the women bought the spices after the Sabbath was 
past, that is: after the Sabbath of unleavened bread was past. 
The women could not lawfully prepare the ointments on the sab¬ 
bath of unleavened bread, since no servile work was allowed to 
be done on it.* They therefore could not prepare them until the 
second day after the crucifixion (namely Friday). This fact is 
settled by the testimony of Mark and that in Lev. 23:4-8. Now 
Luke says in ch. 23, v. 56, that “having prepared the ointments 
and aromatics the women rested on the Sabbath according to the 
commandment ” Thus we see that there were two sabbaths dur¬ 
ing which Jesus was in the grave, first the sabbath of unleavened 
bread mentioned by Mark, and second, the Sabbath mentioned by 
Luke. Between the two was that day on which the women 
bought and prepared the spices. This was Friday. Upon it fol¬ 
lowed the regular weekly Sabbath, the third day of Christ’s entomb¬ 
ment. And when the Sabbath was past, namely at the beginning 
of the first day of the week, which was the fourth day after our 
Lord’s crucifixion, the women came to the tomb (“very early”) ; 
but they found him not; for he was risen. 

But some may think that the time was too long to allow the 
women three days delay in the anointing of the body of Jesus, 
because it looks unreasonable that they would have waited so 
long. But John, in ch. 19, v. 39 and 40, tells us that when Jesus 


* But the priests went on that day to Pilate to have him set a 
watch before the sepulchre. This business with Pilate was not of a 
servile nature. But if it had been the regular Sabbath the priests 
would not have done it. For the commandment says, On it thou shalt 
not do any work. 



The Great Sign of the Messiahship of Jesus. 217 

was buried by the rich man in his own sepulchre “there came also 
Nicodemus and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a 
hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus and wound 
it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is 
to bury.” Both Mark and Luke tell us that the women looked 
on and saw how Jesus was buried. Knowing therefore all that 
was done, and that a sufficiency of spices had already been used, 
the women needed not to be in haste to anoint him. They were 
not going to do it because it was necessary, but out of such love 
and reverence as Mary Magdelene had previously manifested when 
she poured the precious ointment over Jesus’ feet. 

Further, is it not also very singular that the day after the 
crucifixion was named by Matthew (ch. 27, v. 62) “The day that 
followed the preparation?” For as many times as Matthew men¬ 
tioned the Sabbath in his Gospel he never, neither before nor 
after, called it by any other name but The Sabbath. 

Further, on the feast of unleavened bread—the Jewish high 
day (as John called it)—there was a great concourse of Israelites 
from all the surrounding country in Jerusalem; and some among 
them remembered that Jesus had said that he would rise after 
three days. This was the reason that the chief priests went to 
Pilate on that day and asked him to command that the tomb be 
watched until the third day from the day on which they came to 
Pilate, that is until the fourth day after the crucifiixion. 

There is no proof anywhere that Christ rose during any part 
of the first day of the week. We find that he was already risen 
before the two women came to the tomb who went there in the end 
of the Sabbath, Matth. 28:1. And it does not appear that an 
angel was sent to roll the stone away to let Jesus come out of the 
tomb, but rather for the purpose of being a witness to let the dis¬ 
ciples see the empty grave, and to remind them that Jesus rose 
exactly at the time which he had specified. Jesus himself needed 
not that the stone be- rolled away; for he appeared to his disciples 
when they had the door shut. We repeat, that Mark 14:9 does not 
convey the idea that Jesus rose on the first day of the week; but 
it speaks of a past event, namely of his being already risen early 
the first day of the week. And now we must remember again, that 
the beginning of the first day of the week counted from the Sab¬ 
bath sunset. Therefore we can readily see that on account of the 
change that was made by the papacy, by adopting the Roman cus- 


2L8 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § 2. 

tom of commencing the days from midnight instead of from 
“even” or sunset, the exact time of Christ’s resurrection is left 
far behind bv Sunday-keepers. They are about six hours too late 
already at midnight before Sunday morning. 

Matth. 28:1 says, that the two women came to the tomb late 
on the Sabbath, (or, in the end of the Sabbath) and an angel 
showed them that the place where Jesus had lain was empty: 
and he said that Jesus was risen “as he said” Now, Jesus did 
say that he would lie three days and three nights in the heart of 
the earth, and that he would rise “on the third day” or, “after 
three days.” (We shall show further on, how both expressions tell 
the truth, although seemingly they contradict each other.) Mat¬ 
thew says (28:1) that the women came to see the tomb late on 
the Sabbath “te epiplioskouse eis mian sablaton” namely: when 
the light was (yet) shining upon and into (or, toward) the first 
day of the week. It is plain therefore that these women came to 
the grave in the evening twilight, as the “shining-upon” was into 
the first day. For after sunset the light of the past day was yet 
shining before night drew on. Matthew would probably not have 
used the word Epiphosko if it had been the dawn of the morning; 
for dawning is a different word. If Epiphosko had been followed 
by the possessive case there might have been an excuse for trans¬ 
lating it as Dawning. But eis rules the accusative; hence it was 
not the shining of the coming day. The word eis (meaning into, 
or toward) shows plainly that the shining came yet from the light 
of the departed day. It was the twilight from the sun that had 
gone down which was yet shining upon the coming day. Epiphos¬ 
ko means to shine upon, not to shine of. At this first visit the 
two women came for nothing else but to see the grave, Matth. 
28:1. They brought no spices with them; for it was getting dark. 
John says in ch. 20 :1, that it was yet dark at the time of this first 
visit. Now the darkness was bound to have been in the forepart 
of that night: for it was already the fourth day after full moon. 
Jesus was crucified on the preparation day for the passover-sab- 
bath, namely the 14th day of Nisan, the day of the full moon of 
the first month* after the vernal equinox. The moon in the third 

* Not the first full moon after the equinox, but the full moon of 
the first month. Bible months are lunations always commencing with 
a Newmoon. Therefore some years have 13 months. The first New 



The Great Sign of the Messiahship of Jesus. 


219 


quarter rises later every evening, so that when the women were 
at the tomb on the fourth day thereafter (and the days being yet 
short, as it was in the spring) it was very soon dark. If the women 
had come next morning, it would have been light, and not dark. 
The darkness of which John speaks was some time before mid¬ 
night; for the moon began to shine already before midnight. 

It must also be borne in mind that several visits were made 
to the grave. The first visit was made at the end of the Sabbath 
by the two Marys. They came only to see yet the tomb before 
night; and therefore they took no spices with them. The next 
morning these same women to whom Jesus already had appeared 
went along with other women who had not believed, or not heard, 
the report that Jesus was risen and who, for that reason did not 
bring the spices with them. Mark says that the disciples also did 
not believe the report of Mary Magdalene when she returned and 
told them that Jesus had appeared to her. 

Matthew’s testimony proves that the angel rolled away the 
stone in order that it might be seen that Jesus was already risen, 
and that he was no longer in the grave than three days. He says: 
“In the end of the Sabbath (or, late on the Sabbath) as it was 
shining toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene 
and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And behold, there was 
a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord 'descended from 
heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and 
sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment 
white as snow. And for fear of him the keepers trembled, and 
became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the 
women, Fear not ; for I know that }^e seek Jesus, who was cruci¬ 
fied. He is not here: for he is risen as he said. Come, see the 
place where the Lord lay.” Notice the angel’s words: “He is 
risen, as he said ” They refer to the prediction of Jesus that he 
should rise again after he had been in the bosom of the earth three 
days and three nights. 

Now, if we set the testimony of Matthew by the side of John’s 
we see: that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the 
sepulchre in the evening twilight and arrived at the sepulchre 
very early in the night, in the beginning of the first day of the 

moon after the spring equinox is the first day of the first month of 
the Jewish, or natural year. The passover was on the full moon 
thereafter, the 14th day of the month. 



220 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § 2. 

week according to biblical division of time. John says in ch. 20:1, 
that it “was yet dark;” for it was early in the night; the moon 
had not yet appeared. But Jesus was already risen before the 
women arrived, and the stone was rolled away. And when they 
saw that the stone had been moved from the entrance, Mary Mag¬ 
dalene ran to the apostles in the belief that the body of Jesus had 
been taken away, see John 20:2. Then ran Peter and John to 
the sepulchre (v. 4), and when they found the tomb empty they 
also believed as Mary did, namely that the body of Jesus had been 
moved. Then went the disciples back home again (v. 5-10). 
Mary, however, did not remain in the city after she had brought 
her report to the disciples, but hastened back to the sepulchre and 
wept (v. 11) ; and, as she came to the entrance of the tomb and 
stooped down she seeth two angels inside, in the place where Jesus 
had lain; and they asked her: Woman, why weepest thou? She 
says to them: Because they took away my Lord and I know not 
where they laid him; John 20:12, 13. Then answered the angel 
and said to the women (Matth. 28:5, 6, 7) : “Fear not . . . 

he is risen, as he said. . . And as Mary turned herself 

back, Jesus appeared to her (John 20:14, 16). Then went the 
women with haste to bring the glad news to the disciples; Matth. 
28:8 and John 20:18. 

Now, from all the evidence given we see that Jesus was cru¬ 
cified on a Wednesday, the middle of the week* which was the day 
of the preparation for the passover-sabbath, that he lay in the 
grave during the said passover-sabbath (which was Thursday), 
then during Friday which was the day when the women prepared 
the spices, and that then he lay yet in the grave nearly the whole 

* In Dan. 9:27 we find also the prophecy that Christ was to be cut 
off in the middle of the week. This prophecy (taking into considera¬ 
tion the figurative weeks mentioned in verse 26, which are 434 years: , 
a week 7 days, a day symbolic a common year) applies primarily to 
the fourth or middle one of the seven years during which the gospel 
was yet exclusively preached to the house of Israel. This period of 
seven years began with Christ’s baptism and ministry and lasted 
until Peter was sent to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. In the 
fourth or middle one of those years, or prophetic days, Christ was 
crucified. But it refers also to natural days, namely the fourth or 
middle day of the week on which Christ was crucified. Thus, like 
many other prophecies, Dan. 9:27 agrees with history not only in the 
prophetic sense, but also according to the letter. 



The Great Sign of the Messiahship of Jesus. 


221 


of the third day, which was the Sabbath, the seventh day of the 
week, and that late on the Sabbath (or, in the end of the Sab¬ 
bath) he rose from the dead. The memorial of the creation and 
that of the resurrection of Christ fall therefore on the same day, 
the Seventh day of the week, the day which is called The Lord’s 
day in the Scripture. 

By not counting the very short time before sunset on the 
preparation day (when Christ was buried in haste because the 
passover-sabbath drew on—and wherefore he rose and equally short 
time before sunset on the Sabbath day) the statement is often 
made that Jesus rose on the third day. We see therefore that 
both expressions can be used, namely that he rose on the third 
day, and also, that he rose after three days. But, if we want to 
be exact, we can say he lay in the grave seventy-two hours, three 
full days. 

The word “men” in Luke 23 :56 was not taken account of by 
the translators. It has the meaning of indeed or: truly, or: as we 
sometimes say “it must not be forgotten;” and it belongs to “de” 
which follows in the next verse. Men . . . de is exactly the 

same as the German zwar . . . aber, and belongs to the same 

sentence. The thought conveyed by men . . . de was left out 

by the translators, and they commenced a new chapter right in 
the middle of a sentence. The said passage in Luke 23 :56 and 
24:1 should read in English: “And on the Sabbath, however. 
they rested according to the commandment, but on the first day of 
the week . . .” 

—The legend of Christ’? crucifixion on Friday and his resur¬ 
rection on the first day of the week was undoubtedly invented at 
the same time when the festival of Sunday began to be substituted 
for the Sabbath. It thoroughly confused the minds in regard to 
several statements. Especially the belief grew that the first Sab¬ 
bath after the crucifixion was the same sabbath that was men¬ 
tioned by Luke, or, in other words, that the sabbath of unleavened 
bread coincided with the weekly Sabbath, and that therefore Luke 
and Mark contradicted one another! Certainly was confusion 
brought on by such teaching. But it was a great help toward 
abolfshing the observance of the Sabbath. We can certainly com¬ 
prehend that it was just as difficult for the multitudes in the 
time of the Roman empire to drop Sunday and keep the Sabbath, 
as it is now. The Romans honored their “venerable day of the 


222 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § 2. 


sun” and not the Sabbath. Therefore it was profitable for the 
papacy to bestow on Sunday the sanctity of a church ordinance 
and to throw the Sabbath aside. 

In the so-called epistles of Ignatius and Barnabas, which are 
brought forth by many to vindicate the practice of Sunday keep¬ 
ing, there are sentences which Sunday keepers themselves reject as 
false, or interpolations. In these writings there are passages that 
contradict the Scripture and are as false as the decretals of Isidore 
and many other papal writings. 

History bears witness with the Scripture that the keeping of 
the Sabbath is a sign forever between the Lord and His enlight¬ 
ened people. The first blood that was shed on purely religious 
grounds by any so-called Christian ruler was the blood of those 
which we mentioned already before, namely of the bishop of Avila 
and other six, because they would not conform to the Nicene regu¬ 
lations but celebrated the Lord’s supper on the 14th day of the 
first month after the vernal equinox, that is on the passover day 
as Jesus himself had done, and did not observe Easter on Sunday 
as decreed by the council of Nice, nor used the Sabbath as a day 
of fasting. The slaughter of those Christians occurred before the 
advent of the Goths and other Arian nations, who, for a while, 
checked again the increasing power of the papacy. The profana¬ 
tion of the Sabbath and the keeping of Sunday is the chief sign 
of the union or fornication of the impure church with the worldly 
powers. Sunday observance was the first step that the Roman 
church took to bring the worldly powers on her side; and the dese¬ 
cration of the Sabbath by fasting on it was the first unmistakable 
sign of the great apostasy from God. Next was the doctrine of the 
Homoousion and the regulation concerning Easter. Then followed 
the abolition of the Sabbath, etc. The founders of the new sects 
claimed a thorough knowledge of the Scripture and professed to 
teach nothing but the pure word of God. Nevertheless they made 
an image to the first beast; Rev. 13 :12. They set up a creed which 
was like the creed of the Roman church, a creed that denied sub¬ 
ordination, Rev. 3:14, Col. 1:16, 1 Cor. 15:28; John 5:19 and 30; 
John 12:50:. etc; a creed that abolished the first table of the deca¬ 
logue and taught the doctrine of the Homoousion, Rev. 13 :6; Dan. 
7:25, and upheld Sunday keeping, Sabbath breaking, infant bap¬ 
tism and also religious coercion and persecution, participation in 
political authority, Rev. 13:12,13; the doctrine of never-ending 


The Great Sign of the Messiahship of Jesus. 223 

torment, etc. Through the Homoousion and the “Primacy of St. 
Peter” the Roman church upholds the infallibility of the popes 
and tells us that she has instituted Sunday observance and abol¬ 
ished the Sabbath of the decalogue solely on the ground of her 
authority which, she says, she received of Christ. Since she no 
longer has the willing help of the political powers to enforce obe¬ 
dience to her teaching and to prevent the preaching of Bible 
truth she uses now the said presumption as her only and last ref¬ 
uge. With this claim of her great authority in her mouth, which 
Christ never could have given her, she can pose before the silly 
and ignorant who do not search after truth, but not before them 
that read the Scripture. Jesus testified that he came not to 
abrogate the law, but to do the will of the Father that sent him. 
And he was obedient unto death, yea to the death on the cross. 
His exhorting the disciples that they should pray the Father 
that their flight out of Jerusalem should not fall on the Sabbath, 
is already by itself sufficient to show that the observance of the 
Sabbath was never abolished. For the said flight and the destruc¬ 
tion of Jerusalem occurred not until 37 years after Christ. The 
opportunity for the flight presented itself on a Wednesday; and 
Epiphanius says that an angel came and warned the church at 
the time to flee out of the city. 

Notes. The History of the Rom. Cath. church by Alzog (a 
Rom. Cath. priest) says that “In the Roman church the fast of 
Friday was extended to Saturday for the purpose of abolishing 
the Jewish Sabbath which was still celebrated in many places. . 

. . The fast immediately preceding Easter was little by little 

prolonged—nothing but dry bread was eaten till after sundown.” 
“Till after sundown” shows that at that time the Catholics them¬ 
selves had not yet accepted the pagan style of dividing days from 
midnight. On the next page we read, that the Ebionites cele¬ 
brated Easter on the 14th of Nisan in conformity with the rule 
of the Old Testament. Then further on we read, that the Roman 
Catholics in their earliest arguments against the Ebionites (to 
ward the end of the second century) did themselves admit, that 
Jesus was crucified before the paschal feast of the Jews began, and 
that while “the Eastern churches continued to celebrate Easter 
on the paschal feast” according to the time given in the Old Testa¬ 
ment, the Roman Catholic church persisted, that she had received 
sanction for her custom from “traditions received from the apos- 


224 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § 2. 

ties Peter and Paul . . . and that the General Council of 

Nice confirmed the Roman rule; and such as now refused to com- 
ply were treated as heretics.” See Alzog’s Church History, Yol. 
I . . . Part II, ch 5. 

The old paschal feast, or sabbath of unleavejipd bread, followed 
the day of the crucifixion, but the eating of the passover-lamb preceded 
it and fell on the same Biblical day with the crucifixion, and on it, 
therefore, the Ebionites celebrated the Lord’s Supper, namely, on the 
14th (not on the 15th) of Nisan. Therefore the above Rom. Cath. 
historian’s statement is confusing. There is no dispute over the fact, 
that the Jews had already eaten the passover-lamb when they arrested 
Jesus. Nevertheless, they would not enter Pilate’s judgment hall lest 
they became defiled and so should be debarred from partaking of the 
sacrifices that were to be offered the following day. Nor can any one 
deny, the fact, that Jesus had kept the passover ordinance with his 
disciples in the forepart of the night when he was betrayed, and that 
the same night belonged to the day of the crucifixion, reckoned accord¬ 
ing to Scripture from sunset to sunset.—The saying of Jesus (when 
he celebrated the paschal ordinance), ‘‘As oft as ye do this, do it in 
remembrance of me” has, like many other Scriptures, not only one 
application, but it teaches us also, that whenever the time of the 
paschal ordinance comes it should not be celebrated by his disciples as 
before, but in remembrance of Christ’s suffering, and in the manner 
which he showed them; for it was to him that the passover lamb had 
pointed. Jesus did not say that we now must keep the paschal ordi¬ 
nance, but he said, As oft as ye do (keep it), do it in remembrance of 
me. The Catholics therefore erred in accusing the Hebrew Christ¬ 
ians of heresy for keeping that day, the anniversary of the institution 
of the Lord’s Supper and of the crucifixion; moreover they erred, 
because God Himself had appointed —e time for it from of old. It 
is now not an ordinance which is a shadow of things yet to come, but 
points back to the cross. Socrates’ Church History (written in the 
fifth century) records, that Polycarp, the disciple of John, said, that 
John and the other apostles kept the passover aay (the 14th of Nisan) 
for the said purpose and the said reasons.—See also the testimony of 
Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus in Euseb. Eccl. Hist. b. 5, ch. 24. It 
will be seen there, how Victor, bishop of the church of Rome, forthwith 
endeavored to cut off the churches of all Asia as heterodox. This is 
the appearance of Antichrist, publicly, for the first time, under the 
Third Seal; about A. D. 180. 

In the first edition of Neander’s Church History it was stated 
that the festival of Sunday, like other festivals, was only a human 
ordinance; and that it was far from the intentions of the apostles 
to set up a commandment in this respect; but that already toward 
the end of the second century a false application of this kind 
seems to have begun to come up and that it seems that working 


The Great Sign of the Messiahship of Jesus. 225 


on Sunday was then considered a sin.” In the later editions this 
passage was left out, but nothing contradictory to it was set in 
its place. Neander certainly did not think of the paschal ordi¬ 
nance of Christ and how he therefore contradicted the Lutheran 
teaching when he penned that. In vol. IV pp. 38 and 39 he states 
that Arius died in the evening of the Sabbath, and that the Sab¬ 
bath was yet kept in Constantinople at that late time (in the 
fourth century). And in vol. Ill p. 420 we find that in the fifth 
century, and yet before the erection of the Arian kingdoms, the 
regular fasts on the Tetras and on the Prosabbaton were yet kept 
in Upper Italy, even by Eoman Catholics.* 

Some think that the name “Lord’s day” was given by the 
early Christians to the Sunday. But the word Dominicum, so 
often used by them, did not yet mean Lord’s Day, but simply 
“The Lord’s,” and referred often to the Church, the Lord’s 
(Church)—Kyriake, the Lord’s, hence English: Kirk, then church 
—oftenest however, to the Lord’s Supper. The first instance on 
record that the name “Lord’s day” was given to Sunday was in 
194 ill a writing which is mixed up with pagan (Platonic) “mys¬ 
teries,” namely in the Miscellanies of Clement of Alexandria, 
book 5, ch. 14. This was exactly at the time when Sunday observ¬ 
ance and paganizing influences took hold of many Gentile Chris¬ 
tian congregations. (See the exegesis of the third seal in Ch. IX.) 

In his commentaries on the Psalms Eusebius says, “Whatso¬ 
ever it was duty to do on the Sabbath we have transferred to the 
Sunday.” Who are the We? Pope Sylvester and other bishops 
of that time who, either like Eusebius, are charged with 'having 
flattered the emperor and panted after his favors, or, others who 
were completely seduced by the witchcraft of the Eoman church. 
Nevertheless, the historians Sozomen and Socrates, who lived over 


* Tetras means the fourth day of the week (Wednesday); and 
Prosabbaton is The day before the Sabbath, namely, Friday. This 
shows also that in the fifth century the Christians yet called Friday 
“The Sabbath Eve,” and that fasting on the Sabbath was not yet 
general with all Roman Catholics, even as Ambrose says, that when 
he was in Milan he would not do as they did in Rome.—We see oh 
last line of ch. 4, b. VIII of Euseb. Eccl. History that Friday was by 
the early Christians also called the Preparation day (for the weekly 
Sabbath). From this custom it is reasonable that afterwards many 
in their ignorance supposed that the great preparation which was on 
Wednesday, before the Passover-sabbath, was (also) on a Friday. 



226 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVI , § 2. 


a hundred years later, state, that excepting at Rome and Alexan¬ 
dria, the Sabbath was yet generally kept in their time. 

Some post-apostolic writings are frauds; and to some, that 
are generally considered genuine, additions have been made, for 
example we find in Ignatius’ epistle to the Magnesians, that (be¬ 
side other interpolations) the word day was added to the word 
Lord’s by a fraudulent or careless translator. The so-called Epis¬ 
tle of Barnabas contains this passage: “Neither shalt thou eat 
the hyena, that is, be no adulterer . . . and why? because 

that animal changes every year its sex and is sometimes male and 
sometimes female.” Surely Barnabas did not say such things. 
No; that epistle must be the product of an imposter. Yet many 
have quoted his testimony concerning Sunday, and have seemingly 
valued it more than the Bible testimony. 

History alone would be sufficient to show that the keeping of 
Sunday is the mark of the universal power of the papacy which 
also worked in the Protestant sects, or second beast, Rev. 13 :16,17. 
By means of Sunday laws the false church made her first ap¬ 
proach toward her fornication with the political powers, Rev. i7:2; 
and then she advanced, step by step, until she became mistress of 
the world during the Dark Ages. But the kingdom of Christ is 
not of this world. There is no compromise between it and the 
“ten horns” or present governments. They can not agree. The 
Scripture says, that when the kingdom of Christ is set up the 
present worldly powers shall be destroyed. 

A further testimony that the profanation of the Sabbath and 
the keeping of Sunday is the great sign of apostasy also in the 
Protestant churches, was given at the council of Trent. In that 
assembly of Roman bishops, which had come together in 1545 for 
the purpose of effecting a Reformation in the Roman Catholic 
church herself, there was at first a strong party that wished to 
come to a union with the Reformers, to cover up the great schism 
that had occurred, to break with all traditions and hold only to the 
testimony of the holy Scriptures. Already it seemed as if the 
other, the ultra Roman party, was losing ground; and on account 
of the confusion of opinions the assembly could not proceed any 
further. At this juncture the bishop of Reggio arose and turned 
the tide and regained the papal prestige by bringing to remem¬ 
brance the fact that the Protestants themselves do not hold to the 
Scripture alone: inasmuch as they also dropped the Sabbath and 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


227 


accepted from the Eoman church the observance of Sunday. There 
it is, dear reader: the Protestants had set up an image to the first 
beast. They imitated the first boast and thereby caused the 
earth to worship the first beast, so that also the wound, which 
it had received by the Reformation, was healed again, Rev. 
13:12-14. 

Here as we end this chapter, we quote in part the words of the 
learned historian, Gibbon, who so closely traced the great religious 
controversies which arose in the third and fourth centuries through 
the mixing of pagan notions with Christianity; namely. The man of 
God may rejoice in describing religion as she descended from heaven 
in her native purity. To the historian, however, the melancholy duty 
is imposed to discover the errors and the falsehoods that obtained 
their foothold among a weak and degenerate race. 


Chapter XVII. 

Concerning the So-called 2300 Days of Daniel, ch. 8, and 
the Evidence of their Non-Relation to the Heavenly 
Sanctuary. 

Just before Jerusalem was taken l?y Nebuchadnezzar, the 
Lord spake concerning the kingdom of Israel, saying: "I will 
overturn, overturn, overturn it, until he comes, whose right it is: 
and I will give it him.” God established His covenant with 
Israel. He was their king. He gave them His statutes; but they 
kept them not. Therefore He gave the nation over into the hand 
of the Gentiles. Three times according to the word of God was 
the Theocracy of Israel overturned: first, by the Babylonians, 
secondly by the Greek dynasty of the Seleucidae in the days of 
Antiochus Epiphanes, and finally by the Romans. Since that last 
overthrow the scepter of Judah is departed: Jerusalem and the 
sanctuary are trodden down to this day, and the priesthood is dis¬ 
persed. We are going to show that the so-called 2300 days, which 
are mentioned in Dan. ch. 8, covered the time of the second over¬ 
throw of the Theocracy of Israel, that therefore they were in the 
past long before Christ’s first advent, and have no relation to the 
heavenly sanctuary. 

It is generally believed that the 2300 days are figurative days, 
and that for that reason they stand for 2300 years, and that they 



228 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVII . 


cover the period from 457 before Christ until 1844 of our era. 
Specially is this taught by the S. D. Adventists, and they add 
that in 1844 Christ entered the heavenly sanctuary to cleanse it 
and to make atonement for those of God’s people whom they be¬ 
lieve to he the 144000 elect.* But those 2300, so-called days, are 
not figurative days, and can therefore not stand for common years. 
In the original language they are not called Days, but Evening- 
mornings, that is, they are natural, not prophetic days. They are 
days that consist of “evenings” and “mornings,” being bounded 
by sunsets. King James’ translation has a marginal note to v. 
14 which tells us of this fact, but v. 26 is left unchanged. The 
revised version (1881) leaves the word Evening-morning also un¬ 
changed in the 14th verse. 

But, in addition to the testimony which verses 14 and 26 pre¬ 
sent, History also tells us that the 2300‘so-called Days are nat¬ 
ural days, and that they embrace the time when king Antiochus, 
by unlawful force, gave the high priest’s office to a person that 
was not entitled to it, and then proceeded further until he utterly 
profaned the temple and offered swine to Jupiter Olympus on the 
altar of burnt offering (which was more grievous for the time 
being than if the temple had been destroyed); and that the 2300 
days ended with the cleansing or justification of the sanctuary by 
Judas Maccabbaeus. These facts are proven if we read the 8th 
chapter of Daniel unbroken. Notice in particular verse 9 which 
reads: “The hegoat waxed very great, and when he was strong, 
the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones 
toward the four winds of heaven. And out of one of them came 
forth a little horn which waxed very great, toivard the South and 
toward the East and toward the pleasant land ” 

This verse shows that that little horn was not a new, or 
foreign power, as some would have us believe, but that it came 
out of one of the four notable horns or powers that ruled the em¬ 
pire which already existed and had been founded by Alexander the 
Great, the He-Goat (see Dan. 8:19-22).—2) The desolation 
caused by that little horn was to occur in the time of the decline 


* Many others beside S. D. Adventists think the 144,000 are gath¬ 
ered now. But the Interpretations of the Fifth Seal and of Rev. ch. 
7 show that the 144,000 were already safely before the throne of God 
before the Sixth Seal was opened, that is before the Roman empire was 
overthrown. See Ch. IX and Ch. X. 



The 2300 “Days” of Dan. Ch. 8. 


229 


of the dominion of the four notable horns or ruling powers of the 
Greek empire that Alexander the Great had founded. For verse 
23 reads: “And in the latter time of their kingdom when th£ 
transgressors have come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, 
and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.” 

Now let us look at verse 8 again which reads: “The hegoat 
(that is Alexander the Great, v. 21) waxed very great; and when 
he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four 
notable ones toward the four winds of heaven Now these four 
notable horns that came up in the room of the first very great one, 
were the kingdoms of Alexander’s four successors, namely of Se- 
leucus (the father of the Seleucidae) who had Syria; of Lysimach- 
us who had Minor Asia; of Cassander who had Greece with 
Macedonia, and of Ptolemy who had Egypt. Shortly thereafter 
the kingdom of Lysimachus was parted between Syria and Mace¬ 
donia; and Greece became independent from Macedonia and 
formed the Achaian league. There remained therefore still the 
same number of dominions as before, namely: in the North, Mace¬ 
donia with Asia Minor, in the West Greece with colonies in Sicily 
and Italy, in the East the kingdom of the Seleucidae (otherwise 
called the kingdom of Syria), and in the South, Egypt (the king¬ 
dom of the Ptolemies). Thus was Alexander’s empire parted 
toward the four winds of heaven (according to the testimony of 
v. 21 and v. 22). Now verse 9 reads: “And out of one of them” 
notice well, Not out of some new one that came from somewhere 
else, but “out of one of them came forth a little horn which waxed 
exceedingly great toward the South and toward the East and to¬ 
ward the pleasant land.” This little horn therefore is not the 
papacy; for it is not the little horn spoken of in Dan. ch. 7 which 
came up among the ten horns after the fall of a later empire, 
namely the Roman. The little horn of this, the 8th chapter, is 
none other than the pagan power out of one of those four king¬ 
doms, that arose against the Theocracy of Israel. It was the 
pagan power possessed by Antiochus Epiphanes, a king of the Se- 
leucidian or Syrian division, who reigned about 160 years before 
Christ, that is toward the time of the end of the said Greek do¬ 
minion and who made great expeditions into Egypt (that is the 
South), and into Palestine (that is the pleasant land), and into 
Parthia (that is the East). It is he and no one else that waxed 
exceedingly great in distressing and destroying the worshipers erf 


230 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVII. 

the true God throughout the dominion of his fathers, so that 
like him was none among -all the Greek kings, none that so much 
oppressed God’s people. He even caused the divine service in the 
temple to cease. It is of him that Daniel prophesied, saying 
(v. 23) : “And in the latter tune of their kingdom” (that is in the 
latter time of the said divisions of the Greek dominion) “when 
the transgressors are come to the full” (that is: when the numer¬ 
ous innovators among the Jews of that time had proceded so far 
as to imitate the Greeks in all things, so that they cast aside cir¬ 
cumcision and the whole Levitical law and also the first table of 
the decalogue, and had introduced Greek philosophy and idolo- 
trous usages) “a king of fierce countenance and understanding 
dark sentences shall stand up . . . and shall destroy th& 

holy people . . . and shall also stand up against the prince 

of princes . . . and” (v. 11) “by him the daily sacrifice was 

taken away” 

The “fierce countenance” and the craftiness to utter ambig¬ 
uous language apply perfectly to the cruel and perfidious king 
Antiochus Epiphanes. He was famous for his treachery. Un¬ 
doubtedly there are in the hands of many readers sketches of this 
king’s doings (taken mainly from Josephus’ history of the Jews) : 
one on pp. 9 and 10 of the Parallel Bible, published by D. N. 
Thompson, Hew York and St. Louis, the other in the Appendix 
of 1877 of the Queen’s Printers of the Holy Bible. But, what 
about the terms “host” and “prince of princes” in verses 10 to 25 
of this prophecy? Many say, The prince of princes must be the 
Lord Jesus Christ. But it is not in this passage. A Bible stu¬ 
dent knows that the high priest of the Aaronic order was called A 
prince, that he was the most exalted dignitary on the earth, the 
prince of princes. Onias, whom Antiochus deposed and then im¬ 
prisoned till death, was the Lord’s Anointed that stood in the gap 
between God and man in the similitude of Jesus Christ. And when 
there was no king in Israel, as was just the case in those days, 
then was the high priest the chief of God’s people also in civil 
matters, and his “host” was the people of God, especially the Le- 
vites.* It was the Theocracy, the government of God’s anointed, 

* The true Theocracy is dual. The popedom presumed to be such, 
and as such intended to rule over civil affairs and set up and depose 
kings on the earth. But it was a false, a counterfeit theocracy, full 
of unrighteousness. The true Theocracy will come with the advent 
of Christ. 



The 2300 “Days” of Dan. Ch. 8. 


231 


that was overturned by Antiochus Epiphanes. This was the second 
overturn. The first was accomplished by Nebuchadnezzar, king of 
Babylon, when he destroyed Jerusalem and burnt the temple and 
led away captive the high priest and the Levites and all the chiefs 
and elders of the people. The cause of those two overturnings 
was that the Israelites as a nation rebelled against the Lord; and 
so it was also at the third time, when they refuged the testimonies 
of God and rejected Christ; and the Eomans came and extinguished 
the last outward appearance. 

The two first overturns were only of very short duration and 
did not in the least affect the dignity of the high priest in the eyes 
of God’s people, although he was a captive. This was in accord¬ 
ance with the prophecy of Jacob that “The scepter shall not de¬ 
part from Judah, nor a lawgiver (that is, an administrator or ex¬ 
ecutor of God’s law)* from between his feet, until Shiloh come; 
and to him shall the gathering of the people be” Now therefore 
after Shiloh (the Messiah of God) had come, the third overthrow 
was not of short duration like the two former ones had been. For 
since then there was no longer a high priest in Israel, nor shall 
there be a kingdom of Israel “until he comes whose right it is, 
says the Lord, and I will give it him,” namely unto Christ. It is 
reserved for Christ and waiting for him until the times of the 
Gentiles shall be fulfilled. Then shall the Messiah return and 
receive his kingdom over Israel and over all the ends of the earth 
according to the promise. Notice, that when Christ first came 
he was not received as king, and that since then there was no 
more a ruler in Israel, nor shall be, until the time when the Lord 
Himself shall have set His king upon Zion’s holy hill and shall 
have made his enemies his footstool. Ps. 2; etc.f 


* Scepter and lawgiver refer to the same office, namely to the 
highpriesthood. It was among the descendants of Judah that the 
highpriest still dwelt after the ten tribes had been carried away by the 
Assyrians; and he remained among them until Christ. 

f Great speculations sprang up at times in regard of the Germanic 
races (Goths, Saxons, etc.) being the lost (?) ten tribes of Israel 
and that the English belong to the tribe of Ephraim. Nourished by 
obscure traditions the erroneous belief is held by some that there is 
yet a ruler in Israel, namely the English sovereign. These theorists 
thus deny the word of God and shut their eyes against historical facts. 
Let them ponder the above passage concerning the overthrow of 
the Theocracy of Israel, and also study History but a little. The truth 



232 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVII . 


Now king Antiochus, by removing the high priest of G)d, 
caused the continual sacrifice to become illegally administered 
and thus (according to the ceremonial law) to be of no value; and 
finally he caused it to cease altogether. The Greek idolatry was 
set up in the temple, and the altar of God was dedicated to the 
Olympian Jupiter. The king interdicted all Levitical ordinances. 
All Obtainable copies of the Scriptures were burnt, and all who 
curcumcised children, or observed the Sabbath, or in anywise ad¬ 
hered to any commandments that differed from the customs and 
laws of the Greeks, were killed. Now, in the face of all these facts 
some teach that his prophecy overlaps the birth of Christ, and 
that it speaks of papal persecutions and of Christ’s entering into 
the heavenly sanctuary in 1844. In order to prop up this suppo¬ 
sition they say that Antiochus Epiphanes was too insignificant a 
person to be spoken of. Thus this prophecy, which is one of the 
plainest in the Bible, was perverted and thrown into confusion. 
Think of the thousands upon thousands of God’s people that were 
slain by the persecuting power of Antiochus, and of their suffer¬ 
ings to which we are yet referred in the epistle to the Hebrews, 
ch. 11:37, 38. 

True, Antiochus pretended to be the Romans’ friend; and he 
was somewhat afraid of them. Nevertheless, the Romans were at 
that time scarcely more powerful than he, and certainly not yet as 
strong as the two Greek branches, the Seleucidian and Ptolemaean 
together (had they been united). The Roman empire was at that 
time just beginning to come up as the fourth universal dominion 
spoken of by Daniel, while the third (the Greek dominion) was 
on the decline, but not yet overthrown iir the East and South. The 
Roman state had existed before that time, but had not yet come in 
contact with the Theocracy of Israel. Therefore, according to 
Scripture, it had not yet become the fourth universal dominion 
on the earth. Accordingly Daniel foretold that the above men¬ 
tioned calamities should happen “in the time of the end,” or, “in 
the latter time of their kingdom” (namely in the latter time of the 
dominion of the Greeks), in the time when the fall of Greek rule 
and also of the Levitical dispensation was close at hand. It is 

of prophecy (Gen. 49:10; Ez. 21:27, etc.) is demonstrated by History. 
The ten tribes of Israel have long lived among the Germanic and 
Slavonian nations. But the Germans and Slavonians are not descend¬ 
ants of tribes of Israel. See Ch. XIX, Note 6. 



The 2300 “Days” of Dan . Ch. 8. 


233 


indeed strange that any man who reads the 8th chapter of Daniel 
would conclude that it speaks of 2300 “years,” and of the sanc¬ 
tuary in heaven instead of the sanctuary that was in the temple at 
Jerusalem. The truth is so plain that scarcely any one could err. 
if he were not first led away by the tortuous aiid bewildering theo¬ 
ries of theologians who looked far off for things that lay before 
their eyes; Prov. 17:24. 

The appearance of the heathen armies of Antiochus and the 
setting up of idolatry at that time was the very same thing that 
was afterwards repeated by the armies of Rome when they en¬ 
camped around Jerusalem and then destroyed the sanctuary. The 
same thing occurred also when for the first time Jerusalem was 
destroyed and the temple burnt by the Babylonians., In each of 
these instances it was an “abomination of desolation” (Luke 21:20 
and Matth. 24:15) like that whereof Daniel spoke in ch. 12:11. 
The seventh verse of the 12th chapter of Daniel speaks plainly of 
the 1260 years of the Dark Ages. But it seems that matter ended 
with the words (v. 10) “The wise shall understand.” For what 
followed after verse 10 referred undoubtedly again to this proph¬ 
ecy in ch. 8: because Daniel was greatly worried over it, (see v. 
27), so that he fainted, and because the angel referred again to 
the language used in verses 12 and 13 of ch. 8, namely to the 
taking away of the daily sacrifice and to the abomination of deso¬ 
lation. And it was because of the ascendancy of the Romans that 
Antiochus endeavored to conquer Egypt and to subdue the Jews. 
(His father already had subjected the Jews so much as to make 
them pay tribute, but would not, or could not overthrow their re¬ 
ligious institutions.) 

The exegesis of prophetic symbols in Ch. I of this book is the 
key to know how Antiochus Epiphanes waxed great “even to the 
host of heaven” (v. 10, 11) and how “he cast some of the host and 
some of the stars to the ground and stamped upon them;” for the 
heaven here spoken of was the Jewish Theocracy. The high priest 
was the Prince of princes; those next him of the seed of Aaron 
were the Stars; and the Host was composed of the Levites and 
scribes that taught the people and executed the ordinances of the 
law of Moses. Against these Antiochus stretched out his hand to 
destroy them utterly; and he burnt all the books of the law and 
the prophets his officers could find. This tyranny lasted 2300 days. 
And he was cut off without hand: being smitten with a strange and 


234 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVII. 

incurable disease on the way as he returned from an expedition 
into the East, breathing vengeance against the Jews who had 
shaken off his yoke during his absence. 

Thus we find, as near as we can get evidence from History, 
that the prophecy of the 2300 evening-mornings was fulfilled. 
But, as to the periods 1290 and 1335 days and the taking away 
of the daily sacrifice spoken of in the 12th chapter of Daniel, some 
think to have a chance for controversy, saying, those days have no 
connection with the taking away of the daily sacrifice by Antiochus 
Epiphanes, but refer to different events: because just before mem 
tioning the 1290 and 1335 days there is (in v. 7) a prophecy of 
the 1260 prophetic days which are mentioned in ch. 7 :25 and in 
Re\. ch. 11, ch. 12 and ch. 13, namely the time of papal dominion 
during the Dark Ages,* and especially because the days 1290 and 


* Brother Raleigh dissents here, and says: “In Dan. ch. 12 we 
have presented to us three cycles, one of 1,260, one of 1,290, one of 
1,335 days (or years). These cycles are all symbolic, and all begin 
at the same date, namely A. D. 539. The wonders spoken of in the 
6th verse are the wonderful actions of the papacy. Now first it is 
necessary to fix the date of the taking away of the “daily,” that is the 
continual sacrifice, and the setting up of the desolating abomination. 
The continual sacrifice of the Christian is twofold, first it consists of 
the sacrifice of Christ’s flesh once for all, and 2) the application of 
all the blessings to ourselves by consecration of our entire being. The 
reverse of this, that is the doctrine of the mass, constitutes the deso¬ 
lating abomination. Many misunderstand the meaning of the mass, 
supposing it to be merely a prayer while in reality prayer is but a 
small portion of the mass. The thought of the mass is this, that the 
sacrifice of Christ is incomplete, and it denies the application of the 
great blessings therefrom which we obtain by sacrifice. For by the 
mass the blood of the covenant is claimed to be offered up at regular 
intervals, that is at every mass, in opposition to the true blood of the 
covenant offered once for all. For the priest who offers up the mass 
takes the bread and wine, utters five Latin words and says. This is the 
flesh and this is the blood of the Savior, thus claiming literally to 
eat me Lord’s flesh and drink his blood. Is then this not a great abom¬ 
ination? and did it not desolate the very fundamental principles of 
pure Christianity? 

Now when did this mass come in general use? The sacrifice of 
the mass came into general use when the pope came into power, so 
that he might persecute those who would not go to mass. This came 
to pass in 539, when the pope gained sovereignty of the city of Rome. 
From this time we may count ihe cycles to their culmination. The, 
time, times and the dividing of time, or three and one-half years, or 



The 2300 “Days” of Dan. Ch. 8 


235 


1335 are not designated as evening-mornings like the 2300 were in 
ch. 8. But we have many reasons to believe that the 1290 and 
1335 days are time periods inside the 2300 natural days and that 
they designate two different events during the time of the 2300 nat¬ 
ural days. Verses 5-10 of Dan. ch. 12 speak indeed of the same time 
as v. 25 of ch. 7, namely the supreme power of the papacy from 
531 to 1791. But that subject ends with v. 10. Having first re¬ 
ferred, in verses 5-10, to the prophecy in ch. 7, the angel now refers 
once more to the prophecy in ch. 8 concerning the overturn of the 
Theocracy by Antiochus Epiphanes, because this prophecy lay 
nearest to Daniel and to his people, and Daniel was so worried 
over it that he had fainted. Verse 11 opens this subject. The 
division of the Scripture into the chapters and-verses, as we have 
them, is not original, but only man’s work. Moreover, as there is 


1,260 “days” (years) of the reign of the popedom came to an end 
A. D. 1799 when pope Pius VI died in prison and all his prayers had 
failed to save him. Europe recognized that he was not the vicar of 
Christ, and the papacy’s power was gone forever. 

Now for the 1,290 “days” or years. Verse 11 of the chapter reads: 
“And from the time that the daily” (that is the continual sacrifice) 
“shall be taken away shall be a thousand and two hundred and ninety 
days,” that is years, prophetic time. We place the tenth verse after 
the eleventh in order that you may get the connection. The tenth 
verse reads: “Many shall be purified and made white and tried, but 
the wicked shall do wickedly. And none of the wicked shall under 
stand. But the wise shall understand.” The 1,290 years, counted 
from 539, bring us down to 1829. It was at this time that this proph¬ 
ecy was fulfilled in the Advent Movement which first began in 1829. 
Although it was based on an erroneous interpretation, of the 2,300 
“days” of Dan. 8, yet it was the greatest purifying work in the history 
of the church, and the wicked continued to oppose and to blaspheme 
the name of Christ. 

Now we come to the 1,335 days (or years) beginning at 539 and 
ending in October, 1874, Jewish time, and the prophet says, “Blessed 
is he that waiteth and cometh unto the 1,335 days.” We declare that 
this date, 1874, marked the day of the second advent. This will 
doubtless appear a startling statement to many. But it is the truth. 
In proof of this we will quote the last verse of this chapter: “But go 
thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest and stand at thy lot at the 
end of the days.” Now when we compare the first and the last 
clauses of this verse together we find that the end is at the end of 
the last cycle, or the 1,335 years. Furthermore we find that the first 
resurrection will follow close on to this time; verses 1, 2, 3. This date 
is also in strict accordance with its parallel in the Jewish age, with the 



236 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVII . 


first in ch. 7 a prophecy of the 1260 years of the power of the 
papacy, and after that, in ch. 8, the prophecy concerning the sec¬ 
ond overthrow of the Theocracy of Israel which took place long 
before, so does ch. 12 first speak of the power of the papacy—and 
then again, from v. 8 to 12, concerning the 2300 “days” (even¬ 
ing-mornings). “The time of the end” so termed in ch. 8, v. 17, 
was undoubtedly the same as the “latter time” in v. 23, namely 
the time of the fall of the Greek dominions. It may simply be an 
error of transcription that the 1290 and 1335 days are not set down 
as evening-mornings; for any way the term Evening-mornings 
is peculiar, and not found anywhere’ else but in Dan. ch. 8. 
Whether they can be spiritually applied or not, the writer believes 
that the 1290 and 1335 days were literally fulfilled, namely that 
they both commenced alike with the removal of the lawful high 
priest and consequently the cessation of the lawful administra¬ 
tion of the daily sacrifice. 1290 days reached to the time 
when idolatry was set up in the temple by order of King Antio- 

thief-like coming of Jesus; and ever since then our Lord has been 
invisibly present, and will so remain until the end of the Gentile har¬ 
vest, A. D. 1915, beginning October, 1914. After this he shall be 
manifest to all.—A. Raleigh.” 

The writer of this book cannot agree with Brother Raleigh in 
regard to the statement that the second advent has already taken 
place, and this on account of several prophecies that must first be 
fulfilled before Christ’s advent. Neither can he agree with the state¬ 
ment that the 1,260 years of the supremacy of the papacy lasted unul 
1799. He thinks to have fully proven in Ch. II and Ch. Ill that those 
years lie between 531 and 1791. As to the mass being a^great abomi¬ 
nation we certainly agree. As,to the last verse in the book of Daniel, 
it is a promise to Daniel of his resurrection at the end of the days, 
but whether it refers to the abovementioned days or to the end of the 
Jewish age when certain saints arose after Christ’s resurrection, Mait. 
27:52, 53, or to the end of the world is not revealed. The writer 
inclines to the latter.—The writer’s view on Dan. ch. 12, is, that 
v. 1-3 speaks of the first advent of Christ (who is Michael, see Ch. IV), 
of the rising of many at his resurrection, Matt. 27:52, 53, and of the 
distress and persecutions that then came against uie primitive church 
under the Jewish hierarchy and rioman paganism, and concerning 
the election of tne 144,000 that shall reign with Christ in his king¬ 
dom (all of which is parallel with the time of Matt. 24 up to v. 29); 
and then, in v. 7, a prophecy of the crushing power of the papacy from 
A. D. 531 to 1791, parallel with Dan. 7:25; and then from 8 to 12 a 
last reference to the time of the second overthrow of the Theocracy 
and the victory of God’s people. 



The 2300 “Days” of Dan. Ch. 8. 


237 


chus, and 1335 days reached to the time of the 
glorious uprising of the pious Jews under the leadership of Mat¬ 
thias the Asmonaean. Of this latter time it could justly be said 
in v. 12, “Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 days;” 
for indeed those that had fled into the desert, and had patiently 
waited for salvation from God, were then enabled to come forth 
publicly, and to raise up their heads and successfully withstand 
the generals of the heathen usurper and to gain the victory. Third, 
all the days that elapsed from the removal of the true high priest 
during all the time of unlawful administration of sacrifice and 
onward from the setting up of the Greek idolatry until the final 
cleansing or justification of the altar by Judas Maccabbaeus and 
the reinvestiture of the lawful priests, were 2300. 

It will not be wrong to repeat again that the administration 
of the daily sacrifice was ended already before any idolotrous sacri¬ 
fices were offered on the altar of the Lord, inasmuch as the secrifice 
became unlawful through the unlawful high priest whom Antio- 
chus had set up. The desolation therefore was not only three years 
and six months, but over six years, namely 2300 natural days, or 
evening-mornings. According to the laws of the old covenant the 
administration of sacrificial ordinances by such as were not set 
apart by the Lord was sacrilege and without value. It is now 
evident, that as to the “end of the days” in v. 13 which refer to 
DanieFs resurrection the writer believes that they have no connec¬ 
tion with the aforementioned days. 

In the S. D. A. work “Thoughts on Daniel” great stress is 
laid on the belief that Antiochus Epiphanes was not the most 
powerful of the Greek kings and that for this reason he could 
not have represented the little horn in Dan. ch. 8 (“which waxed 
exceeding great toward the East and toward the South and toward 
the pleasant land”). Now, should a man not be judged out of his 
own mouth? The author of said word acknowledged himself the 
Scriptural rule “that earthly governments are not introduced into 
prophecy till they become in some way connected with the people 
of God.” Even so. This is the reason why, for example, China 
with all her multitudes (and other great heathen kingdoms) were 
not mentioned in prophecy.* Therefore though in the common 

* Precious in the eyes of the Lord are His saints. In the New 
Testament scripture there is therefore so much more said concern¬ 
ing the small number (144,000) of the members of the spiritual body 



238 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVII. 

worldly estimation Antiochus Epiphanes may not have_ been the 
most powerful of the Seleucidian kings, he interfered with the 
people of God and tormented them more than all his predecessors. 
His extending his power exceedingly refers to his distressing God’s 
people exceedingly, and is the reason why his coming was foretold 
so particularly. Verse 24 says that the power of the said little 
horn to destroy the holy people “shall not be by his own power ” 
This shows that that power was given him by means outside his 
own realm. Antiochus received that power “when the transgres¬ 
sors were come to the full.” ‘ See v. 23. History tells us that in 
those days there was arisen a powerful party of innovators among 
the Jews themselves. Those apostates adopted Greek customs and 
discarded circumcision. And not only did they cast aside the law 
of God for themselves, but they desired the whole nation to do so 
and invited the intervention of king Antiochus in their ovn 
country’s affairs and religion. This wicked philhellenistic party 
sustained king Antiochus and was the original cause of that great 
calamity that overwhelmed the nation during six years. Yea, the 
same heathen views and philosophies, which many Jews at that time 
had begun to seek after, were nevermore entirely eradicated there¬ 
after, but continued more or less, and became a great stumbling 
block against which the Church of God had to contend. Jesus 
encountered it among the Pharisees; and many of the so-called 
“church fathers” or “Christian writers after the apostolic time” 
have poisoned the minds of the weak with pagan notions, and laid 
therewith the foundation of the great apostasy spoken of by Paul 
which became manifest with the appearance of the papacy. Thus 
already deeply set was the root of the mystery of Babylon. We 
have yet to fight heathen doctrines in relation to the condition of 
the dead, the immortality of the natural man who is out of Christ, 
the Homoousion in the Trinity, etc. 

Thus was this prophesy fulfilled to the last jot and title. 

By reading History any person will readily see that the little 
horn in Dan. ch. 8 is not the same as that in ch. 7. A horn is a 

of Christ and of their warfare against the powers of darkness, than 
there is said of all the rest of mankind. The snort time which covers 
the history of the primitive church up to the year 313 is, furthermore, 
divided into five periods, under five seals, while the long time from 
the sealing of tne x44,000 elect (or congregation of the firstborn) until 
the end of the gathering of the entire bridecompany is given under 
two seals only, namely the sixth and seventh. 



The 2300 “Days” of Dan. Ch. 8. 


239 


ruling power, whether civil or religious. We have shown this 
before. Also the 7th chapter of Daniel speaks of a horn which 
was a religious power. The 7th chapter speaks of all human gov¬ 
ernments under which God’s truth was preached from the time 
of the Assyro-BabyIonian until the yet future kingdom of Christ, 
when the whole world shall bo. under one whole and undivided 
heaven, the dominion of the saints of the Most High. The 8th 
chapter gives only details concerning that part of the 7th chapter 
which referred to the Old Testament history of the nation of 
Israel. The seventh chapter speaks of another horn besides the 
ten horns, a horn which came up among the ten, but was quite dif¬ 
ferent from them. It was little as it came up, but it became great 
and blasphemed the Most High, and gained power over the saints 
for a time, times, and half a time. ” It also thought to change times 
and laws, but could not; for the natural calendar can not be 
changed; and we have yet the Sabbath and all the commandments 
of God. It is correctly understood by all except Roman Catholics 
that this little horn is the Roman hierarchy which afterwards be¬ 
came a great horn. The 8th chapter of Daniel is just as easily 
understood as the 7th. It only gives a fuller account of a part 
of the 7th, reaching no further than the decline of the Greek do¬ 
minion; and therfore it is perfectly plain that the little horn of 
Dan. ch. 8 which came out of one of the branches of the Greek 
empire, was none other than the government of that fierce and 
treacherous king, Antiochus Epiphanes. It came forth out of 
one of the four notable horns of the Greek empire. The notable 
horns indicate the whole long lines of the four dominions of the 
Greeks, but the little horn represents only one reign out of one of 
the four lines which ruled before the Romans came in contact with 
God’s people. The Roman was an altogether new dominion and 
was independent from all the former. As the Greek empire had 
not sprung from the Persian, but came from the West and ab¬ 
sorbed the Persian, and as the Persian empire had not sprung 
from the Babylonian, so did the Roman not spring from any of 
the four notable horns of the Greeks, but became universal by 
absorbing them. 


240 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


Chapter XVIII. 

On the Second Advent of Christ and the Millennium. 

“He went throughout every city and village, preaching and 
showing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God.” Luke 8:1. 

Many teach that the Kingdom of God is already set up on 
the earth. The Scripture, however, does not teach this. And we see 
ourselves that the earth is yet filled with violence and iniquity. 
The prophecy of Daniel shows that the Kingdom of God was not 
to be set up before the time of the ten horns, or, present powers 
which began to rise w r ith the fall of the Roman empire in the fifth 
century. Therefore the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost 
w r as not the setting up of the kingdom, but to endow the apostles 
with power to preach the glad tidings of the coming kingdom and 
the salvation through Christ. Further, the Scripture shows that 
while the kingdom will be set up in the time of the present ten 
horns, yet it will not be until the return of Christ and his saints 
to whom God will give the kingdom. See Dan. eh. 2:44; 7 :20-27; 
Matth. 19:28; 2 Tim. 4:8; etc. 

The kingdom of God is yet like the plan of a new building in 
the mind of the architect to be materialized in the future. We 
are yet only strangers and pilgrims on this earth. The heir of 
the throne was indeed here, but his subjects would not receive 
him, and the violent took the earth by force, Matth. 11:12; and 
they shall possess it until the time when it shall please the Father 
to make the enemies of Christ his footstool. See Acts 1:7; Ps. 2; 
etc. Therefore the commandment went forth that the gospel of 
the kingdom should be preached for a witness in all the world to 
take out a people for His Name, Acts 15:14. The heir of the 
kingdom will remain meanwhile with the Father. He will never 
be universally accepted here until the Father Himself shall inter¬ 
pose and say: “Yet have I set My king upon My holy hill of 
Zion . . . Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou 
shalt dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.” The heir of the 
kingdom was persecuted, and it was God’s will that he should 
drink the cup of affliction and suffering. Unto them however who 
received him, he gave power likewise to be called Sons of God and 


Christ's Second Advent and the Millennium. 241 


to reign with him when he returns. See John 1:12; Matth. 
20:23; Rev. 20:6; Rev. 7:1-8; Rev. 14:—; etc.* 

In the S. D. Adventist book “Bible Readings” we find many 
excellent things, but. also many errors. For example, in the arti¬ 
cle “The Millennium” a portion of God’s word is omitted and cer¬ 
tain passages are not correctly applied: Micah 4:1-4 is not fully 
quoted, and besides, that passage is attributed to the sayings of 
wicked people instead of to Jehovah Himself. Nevertheless, it is 
the Lord Who says in v. 4: “They shall sit every one under his 
own vine and fig tree and none shall make them afraid; for the 
mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.” The passage in Joel 
3 :9 to 16, where it is said to the rebellious heathen, “Beat your 
plowshares into swords,” etc., they have correctly ascribed to the 
Lord. However, both passages, that in Micah as well as this, are 
alike the word of the Lord. They supplement each other. For 
when the mountain of the Lord’s house, that is the kingdom of 
the Lord’s people, shall be established over the mountains (that 
is over all the kingdoms of the world) there will be a willing peo¬ 
ple, ready to serve the Lord and to do homage to the great king 
in Mount Zion. And they will say, Come let us go up to the moun¬ 
tain of the Lord, etc., and they shall dwell in peace. Others, how¬ 
ever, will not desire to submit to the rule of the saints. These 
very testimonials further corroborate Daniel’s prophecy, that the 
present powers (the ten horns) will not be destroyed until after 
the return of Christ and the setting up of his kingdom in Mount 
Zion. But the Lord does not delight in the death of the sinner; 
therefore the rebellious are first warned of their destruction, as it 
is foretold in Ps. 2:10-12, that they might obey and live. For 
the saints shall execute “vengeance among the heathen, punish¬ 
ment upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their 
nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment 
written.” See Ps. 149; Rev. 5:10; Ps. 37; etc. 

The Scripture is full of tidings and promises of the kingdom 
of God which is to come with power and glory. No preaching of 
the gospel is therefore perfect except it includes the glad tidings 
of the coming kingdom. Our Savior taught the disciples to pray 

* The Roman Catholics teach that the kingdom is already set up, 
and some of them say that the millennium was here in that terrible 
time when the popedom possessed its greatest power, just before the 
Reformation! 



242 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVIII. 

• 

for God’s kingdom to come, and that Ilis will be done on earth as 
it is in heaven'. And whenever they asked him concerning the set¬ 
ting up of the kingdom of Israel he never said, that it was set up, 
or, that it should be set up shortly with the outpouring of the Holy 
Ghost. Ho. And just before his ascension, Acts 1:7, he said, 
the Father had put the time of the setting up of the kingdom in 
His Own power. When Jesus said (Luke 17:20) that "the king¬ 
dom shall not come with outward show, and that they shall not 
say, See here, or See there,” he showed that the world shall not 
perceive and pay no attention to the preparations for it, but shall 
go on as in the days of Noah; and that then the kingdom shall be 
here suddenly, as the flood was, and as the lightning that shines 
from one end of heaven to the other, as he said in L. 17:24, so 
that on one shall have any reason for saying, See here, or See 
there; for all shall see it. In Luke 17:20, 21, Jesus spoke to the 
Pharisees, and therefore used symbolic language, as he always 
did when not speaking to his disciples alone, Matth. 13 :34. Luke 
was very particular here in verses 20 and 22 of ch. 19 (even 
as he was in ch. 16 :14, 15 and in ch. 17:1, concerning the Bich 
Man and Lazarus) to state that Christ spoke to the Pharisees (as 
his manner was), so that we may know he used symbolic language. 
Moreover, the word which in Luke 19 :21 is translated Within is 
the same as in John 1:26 and should in English read Among. 
Christ, without whose presence there shall be no kingdom of God 
on earth, was standing in the midst of the Pharisees. He spoke to 
them, and not to his disciples. No one can admit that the king¬ 
dom of God was in the hearts of the Pharisees whom he called a 
brood of vipers, children of the devil that made void God’s com¬ 
mandment that they might keep their traditions! We have found 
in Ch. II that Mountain stands for King as well as for Kingdom; 
and again in Eev. ch. 17 we saw that Kings stand for Kingdoms. 
In an absolute monarchy (as the kingdom of God shall be) it is 
as Louis XIY of France said of himself, L’etat c’est moi: the state 
I am. So here in Luke 17:21, the kingdom represents God’s royal 
majesty in Christ’s person that shall come, but then stood right 
there in their midst, speaking to them. But they did know it, as 
John had said. John 1:26. And after Jesus had spoken to the 
Pharisees, he turned again to his disciples, L. 17:22, saying to 
them, that the days will come that he (without whom there can 
be no Messianic kingdom) should not he with them; and then 


Christ's Second Advent and the Millennium. 


243 


there would be some, saying. See here is Christ, or, See there; 
but that they should not believe such false prophets. For even as 
a flash of lightning is seen over the whole horizon so shall the son 
of man he in his day (L. 17:24) when he is present in his power. 
And he shall come as a thief on the violent of this world, giving 
them no warning, even as a thief does not announce his coming to 
them whose goods he is going to take. Also the figure of a stone 
which the builders, the scribes and Pharisees, had rejected, is used 
for Christ; and that stone, says Daniel, shall become a mountain 
(namely a kingdom) and fill the whole earth. God’s kingdom is 
a monarchy, and a perfect monarchy. Christ, the representative of 
God, shall reign absolute. Therefore king and kingdom express 
the same. Without Christ there shall be no kingdom. And when 
his disciples asked him again concerning this, just before his 
ascension to the Father, he did not dispel their hopes, but he said 
to them: "It is not for you to know the time which the Father 
hath put in His Own power.” Jesus could not yet give them at 
that time all the tokens that are now given to us; for the Father 
did not give him the Revelation until he had ascended, and he 
showed the same to John in visions. This, however, Christ knew 
before, that Jerusalem should be trodden down by the Gentiles (as 
it is this day) until the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled. 
Luke 21:24. Jerusalem shall be the city of the great king, but 
it is yet trodden down. These testimonials and the prophecy of 
Daniel that the Kingdom of God should not be set up before the 
fall of the Roman empire, not before the dominion of the ten horns, 
which are here now, should by itself satisfy all men that the pour¬ 
ing out of God’s Spirit on the disciples and endowing them with 
spiritual gifts and power on Pentecost, was not the setting up of 
the kingdom. 

Here are passages of Scripture, set together in a pamphlet en¬ 
titled "The Gospel preached to Abraham,” namely: "God shall 
send Jesus Christ who thus has been preached unto you; whom 
the heavens must retain until the time of the restitution of all 
things which God hath spoken of by the mouth of all the holy 
prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:20, 21). "Then will I 
remember My covenant with Jacob and also with Isaac; and also 
My covenant with Abraham will I remember, and I will remember 
the land.” (Lev. 26:42 . "For the Lord shall comfort Zion” (Isa. 
51:3). "And the desolate land shall be tilled” (Ez. 36:34-36). 


244 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVIII. 


“Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken, neither shall thy land 
any more be called Desolate” (Isa. 62:4). “And in that day there 
shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand as an ensign for the 
people: to it shall the Gentiles seek, and his rest shall be glorious” 
(Isa. 11:10). To raise again the tabernacle of David that is fallen 
down, and to build it up as of old” (Amos 9:11). “To pull down 
the mighty from the seats and exalt them of low degree” (Luke 
1:52). “To humble all the kings of the earth and compel the 
homage of their people” (Isa. 24:21; Ps. 72:8-11; Dan. 7:14). 
“To establish him in the city of Jerusalem as universal king over 
the whole earth” (Isa. 24:23; Jer. 3:17; Micah 4:2-7). “To give 
forever to his accepted people co-rulership with him over the na¬ 
tions of the earth” (Rev. 2:26, 27; 5:9,10; Ps. 149:5-9; Dan. 
7:27). To raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the preserved 
of Israel (Isa. 49~6). “To gather again the children of Israel 
from among all the nations, to bring them to the land of their 
fathers, now waste and desolate” (Ez. 37:21, 22). And there to 
constitute them a glorious nation, honored even as they have 
been oppressed and despised (Zeph. 3:19, 20; Isa. 61:5-7; 
60:10-14). 

When Jesus comes he will bring with him his elect, the 144000 
who follow him whithersoever he goeth (Rev. 14:4); and they 
shall reign with him during the millennium. The general re¬ 
surrection does not come until after the millenial reign. Then 
shall the elect, who first have reigned with Christ a thousand 
years, be gathered together to sit with Christ in judgment over 
the world. As in many other passages the word And does connect 
long periods of time, so also where Jesus spake of his coming and 
sitting on the throne of his glory “and” that before him shall be 
gathered all nations. It is the same also where he spake of his 
coming “and” sending out his angels to gather his elect. Between 
Christ’s advent and the general resurrection is the millennium, 
according to the Revelation of God. It is similar to what we have 
seen in Ch. II, where there are 218 years between the darkening 
of the sun “and” the falling of the stars in Matth. 24:29. Thus 
between Christ’s advent, when the resurrection of his elect shall 
take place, and the general resurrection is the restoration of Israel 
and the 1000 years’ reign. 

Undoubtedly, while the 31st verse of Matt. 25 refers to the coming 
of Christ into his millennial kingdom, v. 32 speaks of the general 
judgment which takes place after the millennium and after the post- 


Christ's Second Advent and the Millennium. 245 


millennial rebellion of Gog and Magog. The suffering of the wicked 
in the presence of the Lamb and the holy angels commences after the 
general resurrection and lasts through certain ages, until it is fin¬ 
ished. (That it does not endure throughout eternity is shown in Ch. 
XXIV.) And then shall the heavenly Jerusalem descend; and the sea 
shall be no more, nor darkness, nor any curse. 

In the time of the restoration of Israel, Palestine, in particular 
Jerusalem, shall be the central seat of government for all nations 
on the globe. David certainly was no geographer; neither did he 
have any knowledge of the lately discovered continents of America 
and Australia. Nevertheless he spake of Jerusalem as of being “in 
the sides of the north” and “in the midst of the earth?’: for it was 
the Spirit of God that spake through him. When we look at Mec- 
cator’s square map of the earth, we see that the land of Palestine 
is the only true center of all the land continents and all nations 
on the globe, and that it is also “in the sides of the north” because 
it is far north from the equator. The greatest part of the dry 
land on the earth is on the northern hemisphere. Thus the geo¬ 
graphical situation of Palestine corresponds with the description 
given in the old prophecies. 

East and north of Palestine lies Asia, the largest continent of 
all the land on earth. Joining on the southwest is Africa, and to 
the northwest lies Europe. The Red Sea is the inlet for Australia 
and the great Sunda islands, and also for the most southern part 
of South America (by way of the Cape of Good Hope) ; and the 
Mediterranean that laves the shores of Palestine, will receive from 
the Atlantic the peoples of Central and North America, and bring 
them, “year by year, to bow down before the king, the Lord of 
hosts, and to celebrate the feast of tabernacles at Jerusalem,” 
Zech. 14:16. For after the battle of Armageddon, Jerusalem shall 
become the capital of the earth. David foretold this when he said, 
“Great is the Lord; and highly praised in the city of our God is 
His holy mountain. A beautiful branch, the joy of the whole earth 
is Mount Zion, the farthest north, the city of the great king. God 
is become known in her palaces as a defence. For, lo, the kings 
were assembled, they are passed away together. They indeed saw, 
and so they were astonished; they were terrified, they were con¬ 
founded. Trembling seized on them there, pain, as on a woman 
in travail. With the eastwind Thou brakest the ships of Tarshish. 
As we have heard, so have we seen it in the city of the Lord of 
hosts, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever. Selah. 


246 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVIII . 


Ps. 48:2-9. David saw these things in vision, and spake of them 
as though they were already fulfilled. 

The prophecy of Zachariah, 14:16-19, says: “And it shall 
come to pass that every one that is left of all the nations that came 
against Jerusalem, shall go up from year to year to worship the 
king, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And 
it shall be, that whoso will not come up of* all the families of the 
earth unto Jerusalem to worship the king, the Lord of hosts, even 
upon them shall be no rain,” etc. This shows that all nations 
shall annually send deputies to Jerusalem. Then shall come to 
pass what was spoken of by Isaiah, ch. 66: “Hear the word of the 
Lord. ... As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I 
confort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. . . . 

And they shall bring all your brethren as an offering unto the 
Lord out of all nations. . . . For, as the new heaven t and the 

new earth which I will make, shall remain before Me, saith the 
Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.” We see from 
this also that all the remnant of the nation of Israel that shall yet 
be dispersed over the earth at the opening of the millennium shall, 
through the assistance of the Gentiles, be brought into their 
own land to their brethren. 

Christ Jesus and the 144,000 elect from the tribes of Israel shall 
rule the earth during the millennium. They together constitute the 
manchild spoken of in Rev. 12:5, and they shall rule the heathen with 
a rod of iron. Paul also speaks of it that he shall receive a crown in 
that day, when Christ shall appear, etc. However, Christ Jesus alone 
is the manchild spoken of in Isa. 66:7, which was brought forth before 
Zion travailed, before pains came on her. At his baptism he was 
declared the Son of God and acknowledged as the Messiah before the 
persecutions against the gospel church had commenced. Not until 
some time after his baptism did persecutions arise against the gospel 
church. The scriptural term for the manchild spoken of in Isa. 66 is 
therefore not a compound like that in Rev. 12:5, but it is simply 
“zakar,” signifying that the manchild was Jesus alone. The term for 
the manchild in Rev. 12:5, however, is “huios arre’n”:}; and signifies 

* “Of all the families” means Some of, or Representatives of all 
the families. “They of the nations,” in Rev. 11:9, likewise means The 
rulers of the nations. 

f This heaven is the government of Christ and his saints; and the 
new earth is the people that willingly submits to the law of God. 

% This is tautology, a term found nowhere but in Rev. ch. 12. But 
it is the name for the perfect man, circumcised in heart and in the 
flesh , the special election of 144,000 from the tribes of Israel, Rev. 7, 



Christ's Second Advent and the Millennium 


247 


the “spiritual” body of Christ which altogether, Jesus the head and all 
the members, was brought forth under great tribulation , even through 
a baptism of fire. The head of this body is Jesus, and his members are 
the 144,000 elect as we find from the plural in Rev. 12:11, namely that 
They overcame the dragon, and from other testimonies. Jesus is called 
The firstborn of many brethren. This whole body was perfected in the 
Church of God and brought forth by her under great tribulation, Rev. 
12:2, namely during the time of the persecutions from Judaism and 
pagan Rome. “These 144,000 follow the Lamb wherever he goeth” 
(Rev. 14:4). They stand with him on Mount Zion, 14:1, and reign on 
the earth, 5:9,10. They were gathered out of the twelve tribes of 
Israel (Rev. 7:1-8) during the time of that tribulation whereof Jesus 
had spoken in Matt. 24, namely the time of the universal power of 
Rome, before her pagan religion was overthrown; Rev. 12:4; Matt. 
24:29; etc. Excepting some* * that are spoken of in the 12th chapter of 
Daniel and in Rev. ch. 1, the 144,000 are the Only ones that shall be res¬ 
urrected before the end of the millennium. That the rest of the dead 
are not raised until the 1,000 years’ reign of Christ and the saints is 
past, is seen in Rev. ch. 20 (specially from v. 5) and also from the 
fact that the New Jerusalem, the holy city of Rev. 11:1, 2, or the innum¬ 
erable company of the redeemed from all nations (Rev. 7:9) does not 
descend from God out of heaven until earth’s “first heaven/’ which is 
the reign of the restitution, is in the past. Many shall inherit the 
kingdom of God, but not all in the same way. To say All the blessed 
of the Lord shall inherit it, is but a general expression. There is a 
special salvation, namely the obtaining of the Divine nature and the 
inheritance of all things for the overcomers under the gospel, and of 
these again there are the members of the bridegroom, who shall sit 
with Christ in his throne in the reign of the restitution, and, second, 
the members of the bridecompany. Compare also Matt. 20:23; Matt. 
15:19, etc. 

The preparations of the worldly powers for the battle of Ar¬ 
mageddon is the sign given in the Revelation for the return of 
Christ; for immediately preceding the coming of Christ, Gog, the 

Also compare Paul’s saying, I will not that a woman speak in the 
assembly, and also the covenant which God gave to Abraham. For the 
male is the head and hath the pre-eminence. But the innumerable 
members of the bridecompany, Rev. 7:9, came out of all nations and 
kindred; male or female, they are all one in Christ, but have no part 
in the millennial reign. In Rev. ch. 11 these are called The holy city, 
and in Rev. 21 The New Jerusalem that shall descend from God out 
of heaven after the reign of the restitution is over. But the 144,000 
are the temple of God of Rev. ch. 11; ch. 2:26; ch. 3:12. 

* Might not the 24 elders, whom John saw before the throne, be 
they, or of them, that were raised at the resurrection of Christ? Matt. 
27:52, 53; Dan. 12:1-3. 



248 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . XVIII . 


prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, shall invade Syria. He shall 
purpose to take the land and the wealth from the children of 
Israel who by that time already shall have begun to return into 
the land of their fathers, see Ez. ch. 38. Gog can impossibly be 
another than the Tsar of Russia. The Hebrew name for Moscow 
is said to be Meshech; and it is conceded by many commentators 
that the land of Magog is the Seythia of * the Greeks which is Sar- 
matia and portions of Central Asia, all under Russia. The proph¬ 
ecy says that Gog shall come from the North with a great army 
of horses. This is another token; for Russia has more horses than 
all Europe put together; and the Russians are boasting in ouj 
present time, that they would be able to overrun the South like 
their ancestors did in the armies of the Huns and Tartars.* EzekieFs 
prophecy shows that Gog shall come from the North with a great 
army of horses and horsemen in the latter days when the children 
of Israel shall have returned into their own land with great riches 
out of all nations, and that with Gog and Magog shall also come 
the house of Togarmah of the north quarters and all their bands. 
Garmah is undoubtedly Germany which in Latin is Germania 4 
The G, unlike the English, has the same sound in Hebrew as in 
Latin, Greek and German. The Germans anciently came from 
the regions of Armenia which was the land of To-Garmah who was 
of the family of Japhet. Does it not look already certain that 
Germany will ally herself with Russia? And is not at this day 
great hatred against the Hebrews in Germany and Austria? And 
though some may yet doubt it, Germany will then also be in com¬ 
pany with France. According to Ezekiel the house of Togarmah 
with all his bands shall come in the latter days with Gog and Persia 
and Gomer (probably Minor Asia) and Libya and Aethiopia. The 
fact, that Libya is under French influence, points clearly to France 
as being also in the same company. The ancient Greeks and Ro¬ 
mans called Abyssinia Aethiopia. It is the Cush of the Hebrews. 


* The Russians have already built many fortifications under the 
guise of convents in Syria; especially notable is the one on the Mount 
of Olives. Moreover, millions upon millions of rubels are hoarded by 
the holy synod of the Greek church of Russia. Those funds are kept 
separate from the state and continually increased by contributions 
from all the faithful in the expectation of coming events.—Events will 
surely come, but shall not turn out according to their thoughts, but 
for ruin to themselves. 



Christ's Second Advent and the Millennium. 249 


Therefore according to prophecy Abyssinia shall also sympathize 
with Russia. But indeed it does already. All these nations shall 
come to the battle of Armageddon, against Shebah and Dedan* 
and against the merchants of Tarshish and their allies (or “the 
young lions thereof” as we read in Ez. ch. 38). England in the 
West (Cornwall) was the anciently renowned tinland which was 
called Tarshish by the Hebrews and the Phoenician mariners. Eng¬ 
land is a lion. Her colonies are “the young lions thereof,” and 
certainly the United States are included. Undoubtedly it will be 
England with North America and their allies, probably Japan also 
in their company, that shall oppose Gog and shall also endeavor 
to gain possession of the world. But God Himself shall interpose. 
His arm shall turn Gog back, and the ships of Tarshish shall be 
broken; and God shall subject all the kingdoms of the earth unto 
Christ and his saints. Rev. 19:17-21; Dan. 7:27; etc.. And the 
remnant of the dispersed of Israel shall then also he fully gathered 
out of all nations, Isa. 11:11-13. 

At the advent of Christ the face of the country about Jeru¬ 
salem shall be changed. The mount of Olives shall be cleft in 
twain, eastward and westward; and in its place shall be a wide 
plain, south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem herself shall be elevated. 
See Zech. ch. 14. Then is in the past the fulfillment of the above 
mentioned prophecy of David: “Lo, the kings were assembled; 
they are (all) passed away together. They indeed saw and were 
astonished. Trembling seized upon them there, pain, as on a woman 
in travail. With the east wind Thou didst break the ships of Tar¬ 
shish.” The prophecies tell us also that waters shall fill the present 
deserts, and that fishermen shall stand as high up as Engeddi. The 
present aspect of the country south of Jerusalem, the Dead Sea 
which is 1320 feet below the Mediterranean, the old riverbed to¬ 
ward the gulf of Akaba—all these things indicate that through 
the same earthquake which parts mount Olivet, a channel further 
south shall be opened through which the waters of the Western Sea 
shall break in near Askalon (Azal?), to cover the deep basin around 
the Dead Sea, and to cleanse it and connect it with the Red Sea, 
and also to form a haven for ships near Jerusalem. It is also 

* Shebah is Egypt. And Dedan is the country East thereof across 
the Red Sea. Egypt is already under England. And certainly the 
Arabs cannot be in sympathy with the Antisemites. 



250 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVIII. 

written that God shall send streams into the wilderness and create 
fruitful fields in the waste places, and that from Jerusalem her¬ 
self sweet waters shall flow out toward the Western and toward 
the Eastern Sea. Undoubtedly this is not only literal, but has also 
a spiritual meaning. For, as the waters cover the sea, so shall 
the world be filled with the word of the Lord (which goes forth 
from Jerusalem) and righteousness and truth shall guide all 
nations. 

The Israelites of our times fulfill the phophecy of Ezekiel 
concerning themselves: for they blaspheme the Name of the Lord 
among the Gentiles, as it is written. And do not the Gentiles say, 
“Are these the Lord’s people whom He has chosen?” Further¬ 
more the Lord said, that He does not preserve Israel among the 
nations and gather them again because of their righteousness, but 
for His holy Name’s sake and for the sake of the covenant which 
He gave to their fathers. Many therefore do not understand the 
righteousness of God in this also, that the fleshly house of Israel 
shall not rule over other nations of the earth ;* but that while the 


* From Brother Raleigh: “I must here state that there is a heav¬ 
enly and an earthly phase of the kingdom of God. And while the 
spiritual body of Christ will be at the head of the heavenly phase 
fleshly Israel will be at the head of the earthly phase, subject to the 
spiritual phase. I will here cite Scriptures to prove that Israel as a 
nation will be restored. Isa. 1:26, ‘And I will restore thy judges as 
at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou 
shalt be called The city of righteousness, The faithful city.’ Ps 45:16, 
‘Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children whom thou mayest make 
princes in all the earth.’ Isa. 66:10-12, ‘Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, 
hnd be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, 
all ye that mourn for her; that ye may suck and be satisfied with the 
breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted 
with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold I 
will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles 
like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her 
sides and be dandled upon her knees.’ This language refers to Israel 
under the figure of the mother of all the nations of the earth and the 
Gentile nations as her children. Zech. 8:22,23, ‘Yea, many people 
and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, 
and to pray before the Lord ... In those days it shall come to 
pass that ten men shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, 
saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that the Lord is with 
you.’ This indicates that the nation of the Jews will be exalted as far 
above the Gentiles that ten Gentiles will be willing to be servants of a 



Christ's Second Advent and the Millennium 


251 


people of Israel shall become the foremost and most blessed, and 
many strangers shall serve them, the government over the earth 
will nevertheless belong only to the resurrected saints, the elect, or 
chosen seed, namely the 144000 of Israel (the true circumcision) 
which are in Christ the first fruits to the Lord. It will belong 
only to those of the house of Israel that were undefiled, to them 
that possessed the patience of the saints, in whom there was no 
guile, and who as faithful martyrs suffered under the Jewish and 
pagan Roman persecutions which ended with the fifth seal, A. D 
313. The Revelation shows that the said 144000 martyrs shall 
reign with Jesus as priests and kings. Therefore Paul said that 
circumcision was indeed of advantage to such of the seed of Abra¬ 
ham as kept God’s commandments, but that it was of no advantage 
to them whose it was only outwardly and not also of the heart. 
The righteous of the Lord, the “companions in the patience of 
Jesus Christ” shall rule in the kingdom. They shall not only 

Jew for the spiritual benefit they will receive therefrom. Who in the 
face of all this can assert that Israel will not be exalted as a nation?— 
A. Raleigh.” 

—Israel shall certainly be exalted as a nation, and shall be a pat¬ 
tern for all others to follow after; but it certainly cannot rule over 
others, nor raise tribute from others. The only rulers of the earth 
shall be Christ and his saints. It is to them that the Gentiles shall 
bring their glory and honor into Jerusalem. It can only be for trans¬ 
gressions of God’s laws that some will be brought captive into the model 
state of Israel, that by serving among the righteous the wicked should 
be reformed; and others will serve not by force, but willingly, for 
spiritual benefit, as Brother Raleigh said, and as it is written in Micah 
4:1-4. That any but only the righteous law of God under the admin¬ 
istration of the 144,000 shall be compulsory is an impossiblity and 
contrary to the Scripture. No man shall suffer for any but only his 
own transgressions. However, we believe that the saints shall have their 
delegates to execute justice, to bind the rebellious, etc. (Ps. 2; Ps. 
149). The saints are those that come with the Lord, Zech. 14:5, those 
who made a covenant by sacrifice (Ps. 50:5) and were companions 
and fellow sufferers in the afflictions of Christ, 2 Tim. 2:11,12; Rev. 
1:9, etc.; and they only “shall have power over the nations,” Rev. 2:26. 
Zion, when she travailed (in pain), brought these forth: the members 
of the son who shall rule the heathen with a rod of iron, Rev. 12:5.— 
Afterwards, when the reign of Christ and his saints and the times of 
the restitution are ended, and the New Jerusalem with all the bride- 
company shall have descended, then shall the redeemed nations yet 
further be blessed not only by the bridegroom but also by the bride, 
Rev. 22:2. 



252 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. XVIII, 


inherit the land of their fathers like fleshly Israel, but theirs is 
that far greater promise: that in them shall all the families of the 
earth be blessed. They that have kept God’s commandments and 
the faith of Jesus shall be greater than their fathers. They shall 
rule in all the earth. And Jesus testified, that the more or less 
faithful keeping of the law of God does determine who shall be 
great and who shall be little in the kingdom of God (see Matth. 
5:19; also Eev. 1:9; etc.). 

Some say that the millennium, the 1,000 years’ reign, which, as 
the writer holds, shall be before the general resurrection, shall never 
come, and that the 20th chapter of Revelation must be differently in¬ 
terpreted. They say this 1) because they think the kingdom of God 
has tarried too long, if it was going to come in that way; and 2) 
because Jesus said, that where two or three are gathered in his name, 
there ne would be in the midst. As the Jews rejected the prophecies 
that speak of Christ as the Lamb of God to die for the sins of the 
world, and would have him only as king, so it is now reversed by 
them who will only believe in him as mediator and highpriest, but 
refuse the prophecies concerning his coming with his saints to reign 
on the earth. While we know that the spirit of God dwells in the 
heart of God’s children we certainly know also that it does not yet 
rule the earth. The kingdom of God is not yet manifest in power and 
glory. The violent and the unrigheous use oppression by cunning 
and by force. Jesus said that he shall come into his kingdom with 
power and glory. He did not yet appear so when he first came. For 
this reason the Jews rejected him. When he therefore said that some 
were standing right there in his presence (hearing him) that should 
not taste death until he should come in his kingdom with power and 
glory (Matt. 16:27,28; Mark 9:1; etc.) he certainly referred to some 
of those who should become members of the elect and dwell with him 
before the throne of God until the time of his second coming, which 
will be with power and glory, Rev. 12:5; 14:4; ch. 7; John 17:24; etc. 
It is stated in Rev. ch. 14 that the 144,000 “follow the Lamb whereso¬ 
ever he goeth.” These therefore did not die like those that are out 
of Christ, who, when they depart, know not anything until the great 
resurrection. As to the notion of some that the transfiguration of 
Christ on the mount was the coming of Christ with power, we need 
to say but this: that the transfiguration was not even.public, that it 
was seen only by three of the disciples, and that Jesus commanded 
them to tell no one about it until after his resurrection. Undoubtedly 
the transfiguration was to confirm the three disciples in their faith 
that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. That the transfiguration was 
recorded immediately after the discourse of Christ (concerning his 
coming with power) does not prove that it was itself the coming of 
Christ with power and glory. Such speculations are absurd. It is 
evident that the recording of the said vision on the mount was bound 


Christ's Second Advent and the Millennium. 


253 


to have followed immediately upon the saying of Christ that he shall 
come with power; because there elapsed only a few days between the 
two events. And therefore all know that on account of the great 
brevity of the gospels it was unavoidable that the records of the two 
events were written side by side, though they do not refer to one 
another. 

David prophesied of the millennial reign of Christ in many 
beautiful psalms. Shortly before his death he yet foretold that his 
own house, that is his successors in old Jerusalem, would be far 
from ruling perfectly in the fear of God, and that therefore God 
would not permit them to grow and continue, but that neverthe¬ 
less God gave him a covenant “ordered in all things and sure” (2 
Sam. 23:5). This was the promise about the salvation and the 
righteous government -which God would establish by the Messiah 
who was the son of David according to the flesh. The reign of 
David’s sons before Christ was far from being perfectly righteous. 
But concerning the reign of Christ, David prophesied, “The Spirit 
of the Lord spake by me, and His word was in my tongue. . . . 

The God of Israel spake by me: He that ruleth over man must 
be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light 
of the morning, when the sun riseth, in a morning without clouds, 
with more than the brightness of raindrops on the tender herbs 
that spring from the earth.” 

Excepting the country about Jerusalem it is impossible that 
any part of the face of the earth will be changed during the mil¬ 
lennium. Undoubtedly the sea will yet be in existence during the 
millennium,* and the atmosphere shall be the same as at present: 
for the prophecy of Zechariah shows that yet there shall be rain 
during that time. Also Gog and Magog will rise once more at 
the end of the 1000 years and encompass earthly Jerusalem, the 
beloved city of Rev. 20:9. All evil will not be subdued until after 
the general resurrection. . Concerning the earthly Jerusalem, as it 
shall be during the reign of Christ, Ezekiel’s prophecy says, that 
there shall be a temple therein, and the said temple is minutely 
described in the said prophecy. And the prophecy of Zechariah 


* The sea will be no more after the reign of the restitution and 
the descending of the New Jerusalem. But the Sea has in Scripture 
also a spiritual meaning,, and as such signifies the restless nations that 
are tossed about by their passions and conflicts. The 21st chapter of 
Revelation speaks of the perfect kingdom of God, where there is no 
longer any rebellion, nor darkness, nor death, nor any curse, 



254 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XVIII . 

tells us that They of all nations shall come up to Jerusalem to the 
feast of tabernacles. But as to the New Jerusalem which comes 
down from God out of heaven after the end of the ages of resti¬ 
tution, when Christ shall have restored the earth and delivered up 
the kingdom to God, 1 Cor. 15:28, we are told that there shall 
be no temple therein, for the Almighty God and the Lamb shall 
be the temple thereof; and none shall enter into the city but those 
only whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Rev, 
21:27; 22:14. There shall be not only a spiritual but also a 
literal city in which the nations of them that are saved shall walk. 
And the kings of the earth, “the great ones in the kingdom,” Matth. 
5:19, the elect, to whom God had given rulership with Christ dur¬ 
ing the millennium, shall bring their honor and glory into it. And 
then there shall be no more sea: no more restless discontented mul¬ 
titudes that used to be in conflct with the law of God. Every knee 
shall bow and every tongue shall confess. And the nations outside 
the city who were subdued by the bridegroom shall be healed by 
means which God has prepared and the kind offices of the bride 
nursing the wounded whose conflict is over; Rev. 22:2. 

If also literally there shall be no more sea, it is the writer’s opin¬ 
ion that the atmosphere would be changed, and that there would no 
longer exist a frozen north and a frozen south. 

We now end this chapter with the following essay from Brother 
Raleigh: “Many teachers have falsely taught that if the population 
of the earth from Adam down to the present time were resurrected, 
there would not be room enough on the earth for them to stand. It 
would seem strange if God planned for the resurrected billions to dwell 
on the earth, and by actual measurement there would not be room for 
them! The belief that the earth is a vast cemetery has gained much 
popularity. Let us see. We will estimate the population of the earth 
from Adam down. For this purpose we will assume that 6,000 years 
have elapsed from the fall of man to the present time. We will 
assume there have always been three generations to a century, in all 
180 generations. Though actually there were only ten generations 
from Adam to the flood; a period of 1,665 years. Let us assume there 
are 1,500,000,000 of people on the earth; and let us be liberal, and say, 
there have never been less than that number, though actually the 
population began with one pair and was reduced to eight persons at 
the flood. So multiply the present population, 1,500,000,000, by the 
number of generations, 180; and we have 270,000,000,000 who have died 
since the creation. As for room for them the state of Texas as a 
cemetery would afford room at ten feet square for more than twice 
that exaggerated number, which is doubtless more than twice the 
actual number. Thus we see this objection to the word of God fades 
into thin air when met with Scripture and reason.—A. Raleigh.”—And 
if the sea be no more (as the writer believes) how much more room 
will there be yet! 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 255 

Chapter XIX. 

On the Unalterability of all of God’s Designs, and the Ful¬ 
filment of those Prophecies which Atheists 
Consider Failures. 

According to Matth. 5:18 Jesus said: “iSTot a jot or title shall 
in no wise pass from the law till all he fulfilled.” , Those who 
heard this were Jews. With them The Law signified All the laws 
transmitted to them, and not only the ten commandments. No 
one ever thought that the Levitical ordinances were suspended 
until after Christ’s crucifixion. Moreover, the Jews apply the term 
The Law to the five books of Moses with all the prophecies therein 
contained, while the prophetic books, aside from them, are entitled 
as The Prophets. 

The old covenant prescribed many works and ceremonies, a 
law itself, that had to be observed because of the transgression of 
God’s immutable law. Therefore, especially in the epistles of Paul, 
the law of that covenant is called The law of works, to distinguish 
it from the law of the faith in Christ, Pom. 3 :27, which latter 
is a law without any other sacrificial works, either by us or any one 
else, but only the sacrificial work of Christ. As Paul sometimes 
called the law of faith simply Faith, as when for example he said 
“By faith are ye saved,” so called he the law of works which was 
“added” 430 years after Abraham (Gal. 3 :17, 19) simply The Law, 
and distinguished it by this name from the law of faith in Christ 
because, aside from repentance and a return to keep the command¬ 
ments of God, it included a very particular law of sacrificial works, 
to be observed by man, which the new does not. It was clearly for 
brevity’s sake that Paul in many passages said The Law instead 
of repeating that he meant the ceremonial law that was added to 
the fundamental law* It is evident that by faith entirely 
alone we can not be saved, but that we are saved through the law 
of faith which includes repentance just the same as the law of 
works was of no use to any one without repentance. Thus Paul, 
when he said, By faith are ye saved, meant the law of faith which 
has in it true repentance toward God, faith in Christ Jesus and the 

* The ten commandments are the fundamental law given to man 
from the beginning. 



256 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. XIX. 


walking thenceforth in God’s commandments. But the said ex¬ 
pressions, which Paul used, could not yet have been used during 
Christ’s personal ministry, at least not before his crucifixion; for 
no one could as yet have understood them. 

Unquestionably, Jesus in Matth. 5:17 spoke to the Jews con¬ 
cerning all the law, both the fundamental law and the law of 
works. We have not as much as a shadow of right to suppose that 
there was one single person among all who had heard Christ’s 
sermon on the mount who thought that Jesus meant only the ten 
commandments and not also the levitical ordinances. In the ser¬ 
mon on the mount Jesus, as a Jew, spoke to Jews. The Father 
sent him to the house of Israel, and Paul says, “that Jesus Christ 
was a servant of the circumcision because of the truth of God, in 
order to confirm the promises given to the fathers, but that the 
Gentiles should glorify God on account of His mercy.” Here we 
are referred to the special covenant of the circumcision, which God 
gave to the fleshly seed of Israel, and to no other. And God gave 
it for a special work, a special election, of which we have spoken 
in other chapters. Rom. 15 :8, 9 not only shows that Jesus himself 
was also under the law, but has also this deep meaning, that Jesus 
with the 144000 of Israel, Rev. ch. 7, constitute that manchild 
which is of the circumcision and by which all the earth shal 1 be 
blessed in the ages of the restitution.* 

Jesus fulfilled all of God’s commandments. In him was found 
no sin; for he was obedient to the Father in all things, even unto 
the death on the cross. He was one with the Father; for the will 
of the Father was also his will. And he prayed the Father (John 
17:21) that his disciples might also be one with him and the 
Father; and in his suffering he said, “Father, not mine, but Thy 
will be done.” 

But the prediction (Isa. 42:21) that Christ should magnify 
the law referred above all to the fundamental law contained in 
the ten commandments. For when Jesus died on the cross the law 
of sacrificial works was exchanged for the law of faith and the suf¬ 
ficiency of Christ’s blood. The old sacrificial law given through 
Moses 430 years after Abraham and the new covenant of faith 
which came by Christ Jesus were both added to the fundamental 

* As to the Gentiles, the gospel was not preached to them until 
seven years after the sermon on the mount; three and a half years 
after Christ’s crucifixion. 



The Immutability of God's Word. 


257 


law for the benefit of the transgessor. Since even the apostle of the 
Uncircumcision shows that on immutable and pre-existent law is the 
foundation and cause for the sacrificial laws and covenants, how 
dare any one say that either one of the two covenants did, or could, 
in any wise change that pre-existent law on which account they were 
added ? and that, as there is but one “Eternal God” and lawgiver,* 
the Sabbath commandment could have been abolished ? or, that the 
doctrine of the Homoousion is not a heresy ? and that the first com¬ 
mandment is wrong ? It is utterly impossible that the fundamental 
law could become changed by a law that was added for the purpose 
of extending mercy to the transgressor. For God, who gave the 
law, is the same—“He changeth not.” The blood of Christ enti¬ 
tles us to come to God for reconciliation. It is the same as with 
that law which came 430 years after Abraham. Both covenant 
laws were added because of the same transgression. The transgres¬ 
sion of the ten commandments is sin; and because of this God 
added the law of grace. Paul therefore in Rom. 3 :31 says, “Do 
we then nullify the law through faith? By no means; but we 
establish the law.” God Who is holy and righteous can not pardon 
sin without a ransom or substitute: therefore He gave us His only 
begotten son. The sacrificial law of Moses pointed to Christ and 
was made perfect only through his blood. No man could be par¬ 
doned by a future obedience to the commandments; for the future 
obedience is nothing more but duty. Therefore, to become sons 
of God we need first the merit of Christ’s blood in addition to our 
future observance of the commandments. 

The ten commandments were only repeated from mount Sinai; 
for they were from the beginning. It was because of the trans¬ 
gression of God’s commandments that the inhabited earth was 
overflowed in Noah’s time. For a testimony of the immutability 
of the ten commandments Moses was bidden to lay them “into the 
ark,” by themselves, as the basis of all other laws and covenants! 
while the sacrificial laws, and also the laws which were, so to 
speak, interpretations of the ten commandments, were laid outside 
the ark. Thus, for example, the statutes regarding revenge and 
malice belong to the law Thou shalt not kill; the statutes concern¬ 
ing usury belong to the law Thou shalt not steal; etc. Therefore 


* See Ch. V. 
f See also Jer, 7:22. 



258 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XIX. 


these unsacrificial statutes, though written by Moses, are not sus¬ 
pended. When Christ had shed his blood no other but the former 
sacrificial laws, meat and drink offerings and ceremonial sabbaths 
were suspended, and especially the severe discriminations 
against Non-Israelites. The enmity and middle wall of partition 
which separated the Jew from the Gentile was abolished. As to 
salvation in Christ all men are invited. Therefore, while expect¬ 
ing to be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, Acts 
15:11, and receiving the believing Gentiles into their fellowship, 
the apostles still taught, with the ten commandments, all the moral 
and sanitary statutes. For these were not sacrificial, nor pointing 
to the ages of restitution like certain sabbaths, nor were they enmity 
against the Gentiles, but were only deductions from the ten com¬ 
mandments; and the apostles referred the Gentiles to them as 
being preached in all cities every Sabbath day (in those days). See 
Acts 15 :21. The “necessary things” which the Holy Ghost by the 
synod of Jerusalem enjoined on the Gentiles were not ceremonial 
laws, but deductions from the teaching of the ten commandments: 
1) The Gentiles should in no Wise partake of any thing relating 
to idolatry; 2) they should not only not commit adultry, but they 
should also flee fornication, or, immorality between the unmarried; 
3) they should not injure their health, and thus sin against the 
commandment Thou shalt not kill by eating meat that contained 
blood.* 

For the same reason that it likewise was no sacrificial ordi¬ 
nance the Hebrew Christians did not abandon the observance of 
circumcision. They kept it the same as any other law that was not 
in conflict with the atonement through Christ. They saw that 
whatsoever was not contrary to the new covenant of faith in the 
salvation from sin through Christ, could not have been abolished. 

* In slaughtering animals they are not to be bruised or stuck in 
a way to cause them pain, nor be stunned by strokes, or be strangled, 
but a vein must be opened so that all the blood flows out with the pul¬ 
sations without giving any pain. Thus the flesh is drained of every 
drop of blood and the animal dies simply from the loss of blood. To 
the beholder such a death seems to be painful; but it is not. Flesh 
thus drained, when eaten fresh and if the animal was healthy, is 
wholesome. Flesh more than two days old was not eaten at the 
Lord’s feasts. Especially among soldiers preserved flesh is a great 
cause for dysentery, but, when in the first place the flesh was not rid 
of all the blood, it is very poisonous, 



The Immutability of God's Word. 


259 


But they did not know at first the special reason why circumcision 
had been ordained, namely that it was a sign of a special election 
from the house of Israel only, and that while the transgression of 
the ten commandments was and is at all times sin to all men with¬ 
out exception, it was not so concerning circumcision. The non¬ 
observer of circumcision committed no sin, only he should not be 
entitled to the two great promises that were given only to the seed 
of Abraham and aside from the general salvation in Christ which 
is free to all nations. The Hebrew Christians therefore kept the 
law of circumcision and all other laws of God, and walked in them 
even as Jesus had done (1 John 2:6) excepting only the sacrificial 
law of the old covenant. We know of no Christians that during 
the first two centuries were converted from the nation of Israel that 
did not only keep the great commandments, but adhered also to cir¬ 
cumcision and to all the sanitary laws, as abstinance from swine’s 
flesh, washing of the body in case of fleshly defilement, the law con¬ 
cerning the vows of Nazirites with their customary offering, see 
Acts 18:18 and 21:23-27, and all things which the Lord had com¬ 
manded to teach the children of Israel that pertained not to sac¬ 
rifices for sin. 

The Hebrew Christians remembered God’s commandments, and 
they never meddled with the politics of this world. History shows 
also that there were also certain Gentile Christian congregations yet 
as late as the fourth century that suspended from their fellowship 
members that held state offices. Among the primitive Hebrew Christ¬ 
ians such a thing as meddling in political affairs was not even thought 
of. All must admit that worldly politics are full of corruption. In 
Rom. ch. 13 Paul also taught to be simply subject to the rulers. He 
never advised Christians to mix themselves up with affairs of state 
and political speculations. 

As to the day which formerly had been the day of the passover 
the primitive Christians observed it because on it Jesus was crucibed 
and before his suffering he had instituted on it the observance of the 
Supper for a memorial of his death and suffering. Our passover, Paul 
says in 1 Cor. 5:7, is Christ (the Lamb of God). The Roman Catho¬ 
lics should therefore not have called that day simply The paschal 
feast, nor should they have persecuted the Ebionites for having kept 
it. Neander says, that the Christians in Minor Asia in keeping that 
day followed the tradition of John. But John received it from Christ 
when he said to all. As oft as ye do this, do it in rememberance of me. 
Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, and Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus, said 
that John the Apostle taught them to observe the 14th of Nisan, the 
day of the former passover on which Jesus had instituted his Supper. 
But the tradition which the Roman Catholics claim to have received 


260 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. XIX. 

from Peter and Paul cannot be substantiated, and obviously is false, 
see Ch. XVI, § 2. Neander further says, “At all events this is settled 
that in Asia the paschal feast was kept according to the Jewish reck¬ 
oning” (that means, Not according to the Roman Catholic rule which 
was set up at the council of Nice). Ought he not rather to have said, 
They kept “the memorial of Christ’s suffering,” than “the paschal 
feast?” See Neander’s church history, vol. I, p. 413, Bohn’s edition. 
In accusing the Hebrew Christians of Judaizing Neander did just like 
the Roman Catholics. Paul tells us, moreover, Not to judge anyone 
that wishes to keep certain holy days and Sabbaths which are a 
shadow of things to come, because God instituted those sabbaths, and 
though at present coated over, out of sight (exaleipho), and nailed to 
the cross, they shall be kept again in the millennial age, as the Divine 
prophecies, especially Zechariah and Ezekiel, have shown us. But 
as to the fourth commandment, the keeping of that Sabbath which 
points back to the Creation, the weekly Sabbath, there is no judging 
or deciding for any man as to what to do about it. It is one of the 
ten commandments which are all obligatory on the stranger as well 
as on the house of Israel. It is sin to set aside the Sabbath and keep 
religiously a day which the Lord has not commanded us to keep relig¬ 
iously. We can, as Paul says, keep unto the Lord certain sabbaths 
which He had instituted as shadows of things that will come in the 
dispensation of the fullness of times; but if we keep as a religious 
duty Sunday or any other time which the Lord has not instituted and 
never commanded, then are we as Manasseh, who fell into idolatry 
and kept times which God had not commanded him to observe. See 
2 Ki. 21:6; Deut. 18:10. We cannot keep a human commandment and 
make void the commandment of God. Jesus accused the Pharisees in 
a certain case of making void God’s commandment that they might 
keep their tradition. So are those that trample upon the Sabbath or 
Lord’s day and for it keep Sunday which is instituted by man. The 
early Christians made their collections on Sunday, not on the Sabbath, 
1 Cor. 16:2, and Paul traveled on Sunday, as we have proven in 
Ch. XVI. 

But after the death of the apostles the Gentile Christians did 
not long continue to observe statutes that were not literally ex¬ 
pressed in the decalogue. They began to interpret the decalogue 
according to their own views and abandoned the interpretation 
given by God through Moses. They seem not to have noticed 
Christ’s doctrine, that “He that does all the commandments shall 
be great in the kingdom of heaven.” They forgot that it was only 
the sacrificial law and the bringing of the tithes for the support of 
the priesthood, etc., that constituted that burden that became heavy 
after the people rebelled against the Lord and chose kings who 
loaded on them additional works and oppressed them with many 
extortions, 1 Sam, 8:11-19. 


The Immutability of God's Word. 


261 


The apostles, knowing that only the old sacrificial law was 
nailed to the cross, could not comprehend at first how any man 
could be a disciple of Jesus without being also circuificised. For 
circumcision preceded the Mosaic covenant for about five hundred 
years, and was not sacrificial and not in conflict with the new cov¬ 
enant. It required a special vision to persuade Peter to preach the 
gospel to the uncircumcised. Even after that event there was still 
a dispute among the twelve apostles: Whether Gentiles, after they 
believed, should not also be circumcised. Finally however they 
were all convinced by revelation that circumcision was the sign of 
a special election out of the tribes of Israel for a special purpose, 
from which the Gentiles were excluded; that the Gentiles were called 
to salvation in Christ without having need of being circumcised, 
only that they were excluded from certain promises made to the 
first election which is from the circumcision. Circumcision availed 
the Gentiles nothing: for the Scripture shows that the special 
election to rulership as kings and priests to God in the coming mil¬ 
lennial age does pertain only to a certain number of the seed of 
Abraham, to them which not only had the outward sign in the flesh, 
but walked also in all the commandments of God. It is of these 
fellow sufferers with Christ, and martyrs both by their blood and 
their testimony of whom the Revelation says that they shall reign 
with Christ on the earth. But from the Gentiles partakers of 
another election are gathered, namely members of the innumerable 
company which is the bride of Christ. John saw this other great 
company after he had seen the 144,000 elect from the tribes of 
Israel, Rev. 7:9. 

God chose Abraham because Abraham kept God’s command¬ 
ments, as it is written. Among an idolatrous people he believed in 
the one true God, and God made with him a covenant and gave 
him therewith the sign of circumcision. According to that cov¬ 
enant God, in due time, will give to Abraham’s seed the land from 
the Euphrates to Egypt. But moreover, God promised by that 
covenant something far greater, namely, that in the seed of Abra¬ 
ham all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. This second 
promise is not to all Israel, but only to the chosen seed, in Christ, 
namely the hundred and forty-four thousand that were gathered 
out of the twelve tribes of Israel in the primitive Gospel age, in 
the time of the first five seals. The 144,000 are the members of the 
spiritual body of Christ whose head is Jesus* To this spiritual 

* See Chapters IV, IX, X, XI and XVIII. 



262 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. XIX. 


body of Christ is given, in Rev. 12:5, the name “huios arrena” (lit¬ 
eral: male son) which indicates the two-fold mark of the elect, 
namely the circumcision of the flesh and the circumcision of the 
heart: masculinity—strength; and obedience and sonship of God. 
Ezekiel also spake of this when he said, that no one uncireumcised 
in the flesh nor uncircumcised in heart shall enter the sanctuary of 
God. The term huios arrena is found only in Rev. 12:5 and no¬ 
where else, neither in the Old nor in the New Testament, probably 
nowhere in all the literatures of all nations. Circumcision in the 
flesh signifies that the members of the spiritual body of Christ, 
which is the bridegroom, were gathered from the seed of Abra¬ 
ham, Rev. ch. 7; and circumcision of the heart is spiritual: it sig¬ 
nifies perfect obedience to all of God’s commandments, willing and 
glad obedience as sons of God. Out of Israel’s seed was to come 
the strong one, the hero, the bridegroom, the spiritual body whose 
head is Jesus. But the innumerable bride company is gathered 
from all nations. The members of the bridegroom are inseparable 
from their head. They follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth, and 
shall come with him and reign with him on the earth, Rev. 14:4; 
Rev. 5:10; Rev. 20:6. Therefore are they called “Gods” that is 
Mighty rulers, John 10:34, 35, By them shall this earth be re¬ 
stored to God according to the Scripture, cleansed from evil and 
prepared for the future abode of all the redeemed. Then shall the 
bride, the innumerable company, come down in the New Jerusalem 
from God out of heaven.* 

Because of the promise which God with the sign of circum¬ 
cision gave to Israel, all “the twelve apostles of the Lamb” were 
to preach almost exclusively to the dispersed twelve tribes of 
Israel: for the 144,000 elect were to be gathered in haste, out of 
the primitive church, before the opening of the sixth seal. Paul 
therefore was chosen as a special apostle to the Gentiles; and he 
was forbidden to enter Asia and to preach Uncircumcision in that 
country where there weTe such large congregations of Israelites, 
and which was the missionary field of the apostle John. Twice the 
Spirit resisted him to enter Asia and Bithynia, Acts 16:4-10. Yet 

* That the gathering of the 144,000 was finished before A. D. 313, 
but that the gathering of the bridecompany will not be ended until 
shortly before Christ’s second advent (Rev. ch. 19; Luke 12:36) has 
heretofore been shown by sufficient scriptural and historical evidence. 
See Part I 6f this book, Ch. VI, 



The Immutability of God's Word . 


263 


he entered afterward, and it brought on him his capitivity at 
Jerusalem, Acts 21:27. The Lord remembered the covenant with 
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and has determined the precise time, 
which is yet to come (Acts 1:7), that He will bring the children 
of Israel into that large land from the river Euphrates to the 
border of Egypt (see Ch. XVIII)*,and also to fulfill the still greater 
promise, namely, to bless all the families of the earth through 
Christ and his saints. For this purpose He gathered the 144,000 
in the time of the apostolic church and caught them up to His 
throne whence they shall return with Christ to judge and reign 
during the ages of the restitution. This special election was not 
taken from those that were of Israel from the flesh only, but of 
those who had the Spirit of Christ and were companions in the 
afflictions and patience of Christ, begotten of God for the said 
great purpose. All the respective biblical and historical testimo¬ 
nies prove that the calling out of the 144,000 was finished in the 
days of primitive church before the beginning of the fifth seal, and 
that the gathering of the last remnant was finished under the fifth 
seal (before A. D. 313, which was the year of the proclamation of 
the Edict of Toleration). Now they are before the throne of 
God, whence they shall return with Christ, their head, to receive 
the kingdom. See Matth. 19 :28; Rev. 3:21. “These are they which 
were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God 
and to the Lamb, And in their mouth was found no guile; for 
they are without fault before the throne of God/* Rev. 14:145. 
During the persecutions under pagan Rome (see exegesis of Rev. 
ch. 12 and of the 5th seal) they were gathered out from among the 
tribes of Israel from all countries wherever they were dispersed 
(Rev. ch. 2; ch. 3; ch. 5:9; ch. 7; etc.) and were caught up to God 
and His throne. 

In Minor Asia there were more Hebrew Christians than any¬ 
where else;t therefore it is evident that from thence were to be 
gathered more of the elect than from any other country and that 

* This first promise is to Israel as a nation. But the second and 
greater promise belongs only to the 144,000 in Christ Jesus. 

f Up to about A. D. 135 Minor Asia, generally speaking, was full 
of Israelites. A memento of the respect shown them in those days 
is this, that even at this day the Jews in that country are boasting 
of their race. Often in controversies it happens that an offended Jew 
will proudly raise his head, and say, I am a Jew. Such is not the case 
anywhere else. 



264 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . XIX. 


for this reason Paul (at first) should not go to preach “that way” 
(as Luke called it) in that country. In Minor Asia were the seven 
largest congregations of Hebrew Christians (mentioned in Rev. 
ch. 2 and ch 3), and John, one of “the twelve apostles to the house 
of Israel” presided over them not less than forty years. To them 
Jesus sent by John those messages which we find in the last Revela¬ 
tion which God gave to man. Of the community at Smyrna Jesus 
said, Rev. 2:9, “I know thy works and tribulation, and poverty (but 
thou art rich), and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are 
Jews, and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan.” And of the 
community of Philadelphia (Rev. 3: 8, 9) he said, “I know thy 
works: behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can 
shut it; for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and 
hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the syna¬ 
gogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; 
behold I will make them to come and worship before my feet, and 
know that I have loved thee.” The day is coming when all men 
shall know them. They shall reign with Jesus on his throne, Rev. 
3: 21. And men shall know also the synagogue of Satan. 

About a hundred years after the Gospel had been preached a 
spirit of rebellion began to show itself publicly in many Gentile 
Christian congregations, especially that at Alexandria; and about 
a hundred years thereafter the papacy assumed authority to set 
aside the doctrine of one supreme God and to change the law. The 
Hebrew Christians, and, in the beginning, all the communities in 
Asia, opposed these innovations. Their desire was to obey not only 
the greatest commandments but all the statutes of God that were 
not old sacrificial ordinances, even as Jesus had said, “Whosoever 
shall break one of these commandments, and shall teach men so, he 
shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven: but whosoever 
shall do and teach them, the same shall be called Great in the King¬ 
dom of heaven,” Matt. 5: 19. “The Chuch of Asia,” Neander says 
in his Church History, “was the first that opposed the rising pope¬ 
dom.”* The strict obedience to God’s commandments lifted the 
Hebrew Christians up in the sight of God. But in time nearly all 
the Gentile Christians slandered them as heretics and Judaizers 

* It may have been under divine influence that Neander, instead 
of saying The churches of Asia, used here the singular, “The Church.” 
The Church of God is in prophecy called The Woman, while false 
churches are spoken of as Women, plural. 



The Immutability of God's Word . 


265 


although the Scripture proves that none of the statutes which they 
kept belonged to the old sacrifical order. The original writings of 
those early Christians have been destroyed, and certain passages, 
of old copied from them, were falsified, Rev. 13: 6, 7. Yet a few 
fragments from Epiphanius, Hegesippus and others show, that while 
they, for example, did not eat “unclean” flesh, and also kept others 
of the so-called statutes of Moses, they did not observe any of the 
old sacrificial latvs. Neither would they ever consent to use the 
Sabbath for fasting. 

Now let us speak once more of the millennial reign. God said, 
“None of My words shall return to Me empty.” All Divine prophe¬ 
cies must be fulfilled. The present dispensation is yet for the pur¬ 
pose of ending the election of members of the bride company, and 
then shall Christ return with his saints to reign on the earth. The 
covenant of faith is then ended, and the old sacrificial ordinances 
which are for the present suspended, will be re-established and kept 
during the time of the restitution, because of the altered circum¬ 
stances. Not a jot or title shall pass from all things spoken by the 
prophets until they are fulfilled and till death and the grave are 
conquered. And as to God’s commandments Jesus said,,, it is easier 
for heaven and earth to pass than that one jot or tittle should fail 
of all the law, even the law concerning which he spake to the 
Israelitish peeople in the sermon on the mount. He did not exempt 
the Levitical law and therefore we must take his words as what they 
meant to his hearers who Were Jews, and none but Jews. We can¬ 
not imagine that the hearers could have ben deceived. Those words 
of Jesus were not symbolic.* 

The levitical ordinances were never perfectly kept as the Lord 
had commanded, but they shall be kept. As little as the words of 
Jesus can we set aside the other testimonies of divine phophecy. 
Ezekiel and Zechariah in particular, and other prophecies, prove the 
re-establishment of the old ceremonial law in the ages of the resti¬ 
tution which are yet to come. Now suspended, it shall then point 
backward to the blood of Christ that was shed on Calvary. If the 
doing away of the levitical law is the fulfilling thereof, and it shall 
no more be kept, then is the Scripture broken, 1) because the 
Israelites never kept it as they should have done, and 2) the prophe- 

* Not until the end of his sermon did he utter a parable; for 
without using a parable he spoke not to the mutiltudes. Matt. 7:24-29. 



266 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XIX. 

ties that foretold of their going to be kept when God shall gather 
Israel from all the nations would be false prophecies, even those of 
Isaiah, Ezekiel, etc., and then would all the Scripture be confusion! 
To fulfill a law is to keep it. The Scriptures tell us that those ordi¬ 
nances will be kept by the house of Israel when the Lord shall have 
gathered them again from all countries, and that the Levites of the 
sons of Zadok* shall then perform the holy ministrations. Accord¬ 
ing to Ezekiel the holy house shall be built, but shall not be defiled 
as the former was, neither by a heathen, nor by a wicked priest. 
Ez. ch 36 to ch. 48. Who dares to throw away the prophecies and 
the Eevelation of Jesus Christ? Some infer, shall then the blood 
of Christ have lost its merit? By no means. The offerings shall 
then point back to ChrisEs sacrifice as before they had pointed for¬ 
ward into it. Then the offerings will be perfect. Before Christ 
they were not yet perfect; for they pointed to something that had 
not yet appeared; but then they will point to a reality, namely to 
the blood of Christ that was shed. It is impossible that the blood of 
animals can in that time cleanse from sin, or that it has done it be¬ 
fore Christ, as that during the present dispensation water-baptism 
can of itself do it without faith and repentance. The plan of salva- 
tion was laid in Christ before the foundation of the world; and 
there is no other name given by which men can be saved, t 

But the purpose of the present dispensation of the covenant of 
faith is to call out a people for a high position, a higher one than 
that lost through Adam, while the purpose of the reign of Christ 
is judgment and retribution and tribulation on all the ungodly 
and restitution of men to the same position they lost in Adam. 

Infidels have said that it was Moses who originated the law 
of the old covenant, and that it was a failure, since it was not 
stricly kept. For they think it will never be kept and that there¬ 
fore it was a failure. But God said that none of His words shall 
return to him empty, but shall accomplish that for which they were 
sent. The word of God teaches that in the latter days the Lord will 
again gather the children of Israel from all nations among whom 

* A symbol of Christ and his members. Zedek=righteousness; 
Melchizedek=king of righteousness. 

t It is not revealed whether the Gentile nations shall sfiso keep 
all those ordinances in the millennium. Their representatives, how¬ 
ever, shall appear before the Lord in Jerusalem at the feast of taber¬ 
nacles, as it is written. 



The Immutability of God's Word. 


267 


they have scattered; and bring them into the land which He prom¬ 
ised to Abraham, which is not only Palestine, but all the country 
from Euphrates to the border of Egypt; and that the seed of 
Jacob shall be respected by all nations, a blessing in their midst,* 
as a dew upon the grass. The time will come when the Lord shall 
pour His Spirit upon the house of Israel, as He has promised; and 
they shall delight to walk in His way, and their offerings, there¬ 
fore, shall then please God. 

Some say the reason they think that Ezekiel’s prophecy con¬ 
cerning the restoration of Israel and the erection of the new temple 
is not going to be fulfilled, is because the Lord commanded Ezekiel 
at the time, not to reveal the said prophecy to the Israelites at 
Babylon if they persisted in thir wicked ways, but should declare it 
to them if they should reform. Could that condition determine the 
non-fulfillment of this prophecy? The Lord said elsewhere that He 
will reveal His secrets only to His servants, but that the wicked 
shall be left in darkness and in the errors of their own imaginations. 
Did not Jesus also instruct his disciples the same way, saying fur¬ 
ther, that the wicked shall not understand, even if they hear ? Does 
their not understanding alter God’s plans? The people of our own 
time, to whom these things are mysteries, are in the same condition. 
The very fact that Ezekiel was not to reveal the promises of God to 
the wicked (who do not deserve them—if we are allowed to use 
such an expression) proves the harmony in this matter throughout 
all the prophets. The present attitude of Russia and of England, 
the emancipation of the Jews in nearly all countries during the 
century now past, the fact that Ezekiel spoke of the great array of 
cavalry which the prince of Rosh shall bring from the north into the 
land of Israel (which is not possible for any power but Russia), 
etc., prove that the time of the fulfilment of this prophecy cannot 
be far off. t Moreover, on what ground do those that think Eze- 

* Even during all the centuries of the dispersion among the Gen¬ 
tiles fleshly Israel has been a blessing in many ways. Because of the 
care of the peculiar people for the Old Testament Scripture it was 
impossible for the papacy to destroy or alter any part thereof. 

f As to the shields, etc., spoken of by Ezekiel, plans have already 
been heard of to protect soldiers again with such. No one knows 
what devices may yet be invented. The words of God shall certainly 
be fulfilled. The signs of the end of the present dispensation are here, 
but the world sees them not. 



268 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XIX. 

kiel’s prophecy shall not be fulfilled, cast away also the prohecies 
of Isaiah, Zechariah, etc.? 

The peculiar covenant with Abraham must stand; and there 
was consequently no need for the Gentiles to be circumcised; but, 
as it was foretold in Acts 15:14, so was the gospel preached to 
the Gentiles for the purpose of another election in which not only 
the seed of Abraham, but all nations have a part, namely to take out 
a people for Christ's name , a people that belongs to the innumerable 
host of the bride company—whose members from the house of 
Israel are not as many as from the Gentiles. For, “More shall be 
the children of the desolate than of the married woman* said the 
Lord.” After the gathering of them is finished. Acts 15: 14, 16 it 
shall come to pass, as it is writteen: “I will.return and will again 
build the tabernacle of David which is fallen down, and I will build 
again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: that the residue of 
men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom 
My name is called, saith the Lord who doeth all these things. 
Known unto God are all His words from the beginning of the 
world.” Therefore the whole world will not be converted before 
Christ’s second coming. Although the gospel is now preached to 
all nations God takes out of them only such that diligently seek 
him. Jesus says, “No man can come to me except the Father who 
sent me draw him.” Whom the Father draws are those that seek 
Him with all their heart, Rom. 11:5. But in the millennium the 
Name of the Lord shall be known to all the Gentiles and they shall 
be allotted to the twelve thrones of Israel. 

Some perhaps may yet say, that the writer is a false teacher 
notwithstanding all the testimonials that he has presented. Con¬ 
cerning the 144,000 elect from the tribes of Israel some will quote 
Paul’s writing to the Galatians, that neither circumcision nor un¬ 
circumcision availeth in Christ, and 2) as to the keeping of all 
God’s commandments they will quote for example as to eating, what 
Paul wrote to Timothy, namely that every creature of God is good 
and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving. 
Let us now ask: Who was Paul, and to whom was he sent? or 
rather, to whom did he write? Answer: He was the Apostle to 

* That of her that was married first, which was the Jewish 
church: for the Christian Church was not yet in existence when this 
prophecy was given. 



The Immutability of God's Word. 


269 


the Gentiles. His mission was to preach to the Gentiles; and he 
wrote these things to Gentiles. The 144,000 were not gathered 
from the Gentiles. But the Galatians were Gentiles, immigrants 
from Gaul, colonized by a Bithynian king. Timothy also was a 
Greek, and an evangelist to the Gentiles. From the Gentiles are 
gathered members of the other election which is for the bride com¬ 
pany. The bride, the female, is not of the circumcision. The Gen¬ 
tiles were the weaker class which never fully kept all of God’s com¬ 
mandments. Hot only by the revelation given to the apostles, but 
already in the law of Moses was this condition foreshadowel. For 
to Gentiles might be given things for eating that were forbidden to 
the children of Israel; Deut. 14: 21. But Paul prophesied that a 
certain wicked power would arise that would forbid to marry, and 
would forbid to eat meats that were sanctified by the word of God. 
In the Middle Ages the church of Rome prohibited the priests to 
marry and forbade the use of clean meats (veal, beef, . . .) to all 
men on certain days when, on the contrary, meats that were in 
the Old Testament forbidden as “unclean,” were allowed to be 
eaten.* If it had been sinful in the least to circumcise, Paul cer¬ 
tainly would not himself have circumcised Timothy just to please 
the Jews. Acts 16: 1-3. Paul censured certain Gentile Christians 
because they thought circumcision was necessary to salvation from 
sin. They depreciated the sacrifice of Christ by attaching an undue 
importance to ceremonial sabbaths, and other laws of Moses which 
only pointed to Christ and were of themselves of no value. Paul 
plainly teaches that he who depends on the old ceremonial works 
and does not fully accept the present covenant of faith, has no 
part with the elect in the exceeding great promises offered under the 
present dispensation. Thus while the Hebrew Christians held to 
many Mosaic statutes, as for example, the law of vows (Acts 18: 
18; 21: 26) they never brought any sin offerings nor depended on 
salvation outside of Christ. Christ is our sacrifice. Paul is not 
understood by all people, because his epistlees are not always of 
universal application, but touched primarily the abuses and diffi¬ 
culties that existed in particular communities. He did not always 

* Oysters, turtles, etc. In Italy, France, Austria, even those 
large snails that are so common in those countries, are eaten in large 
quantities by the Roman Catholics in Lenten days when they are not 
allowed to eat beef! To eat unclean food has also a spiritual meaning, 
namely, to take in manmade doctrines. 



270 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XIX. 


explain himself sufficiently to be understood by those not addressed 
in his letter. Furthermore, Paul was a learned man, and many of 
his sayings are so deep that even Peter intimated it was often diffi¬ 
cult to understand Paul. We must remember that in Paul’s time 
the temple was yet standing, that just as many people as ever went 
to Jerusalem on the solemn feasts, and that undoubtedly many of 
weak minds were thereby shaken and did not accept fully the faith 
in Christ. But, when finally the temple was destroyed and the 
levitical priesthood dispersed, this great stumbling-block was re¬ 
moved.* 


♦ Through the mercy of God those perilous days when Judaism, 
and then paganism with it, stood up against the Church of Christ, 
were shortened. Four years after Nero had begun to persecute the 
Christians (A. D. 68), he was slain, and only two years thereafter 
Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed, and the great authority of 
the levitical hierarchy, which in the eyes of the Roman statesmen 
seemed to justify the ruin of Christianity, was removed. During the 
time just preceding the Neronic persecution, Christianity, in the West 
of the empire, had become nearly extinct. Thirty to forty years there¬ 
after Tacitus, the great Roman historian, writes yet of the Christians 
only as a dangerous sect that was repressed in the time of Nero. 
Knowing nothing of their religion, he speaks of them as of very 
wicked men, and as if they were blotted out of existence. Plutarch, 
who lived at the same time, never wrote a word about Christians. 
As to the brief remarks concerning Christ in the work of Josephus 
many critics think that they are interpolations. Pliny, the great 
lawyer and statesman, who since the age of nineteen had been plead¬ 
ing in the courts of Rome, was unacquainted with any Christians 
during all his life in Rome; and when emperor Trajan bestowed on 
him the governorship over certain countries in Asia, where Christians 
were numerous, he asked the emperor for advice, knowing of no 
precedent as to what to do with the complaints against their religion. 

Thus while Christianity was much reduced at Rome, and for many 
years scarcely known, it flourished still in those far off northeastern 
regions. And from thence chiefly was it disseminated the second 
time toward the West. The Roman church, however, teaches that 
the pure Christian doctrine was preserved in those days only in Rome, 
and nowhere else, that it was from Rome whence the pure gospel was 
propagated, and that in Minor Asia were those Ebionite heretics and 
Judaizers. Men like the author of Quo Vadis may receive Rome’s 
own witness and traditions; but we deal not in fictions. Even as late 
as 177 the Christians at Vienne and Lyons in Gaul sent yet for help 
to far off Minor Asia and Phrygia. The community at Lyons reached 
its greatest prosperity through the labours of Irenseus, the disciple of 



The Immutability of God's Word. 


271 


Having in mind the weight and significance which the Jewish 
priesthood and the continuance of the administration of the old 
sacrifical ordinances had on the world we are enabled to understand 
the aforementionel passages in Paul’s letters. And remembering 
that Paul called the old sacrifical law often The Law, and that like¬ 
wise he often abbreviated the term “The law of faith in Christ” and 
called it Faith, we also understand the words in John 1: 7, namely 
that “The law that came by Moses” referred only to the old coven¬ 
ant, and that the Grace of Truth that came by Jesus Christ is the 
new and better covenant and the fulfilment of God’s promise to 
Abraham, by which God manifested his love and will further mani¬ 
fest it in the ages yet to come, and that by no means does it teach 
that any unsacrificial statutes of God are thereby abolished The 
mercy and truth that came by Jesus Christ signify not only the 
general salvation of man, but they include the great gift of the 
Divine nature, the exceeding weight of glory and the inheritance of 
all things to the elect, them that overcome and make their calling 
and election sure by sacrifice. The blessings of the latter are 
far greater than the blessings that were lost through the fall of 
Adam. 

When Christ returns the present covenant of faith and election 
to the high calling is ended. 

Eleven full chapters in Ezekiel, and scores of chapters in the 
rest of the Scripture, speak of the re-establishment of the ceremonial 
laws and the restoration of Israel in the time of Christ’s kingdom. 
As surely as historical facts have demonstrated the fulfillment of 
the greatest part of the prophecies, so surely will not a jot or tittle 

Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna. And, to judge from their letters, many 
had come from Asia. 

Though they do not openly declare it, Neander and other modern 
church historians have undoubtedly rejected the Revelation as being 
the word of God. Why did Neander call the apostle John, who was 
the missionary of Asia Minor, A Judaizer? The source of their theol¬ 
ogy is the Roman church. She is the mother of false sects and abom¬ 
inations and slanders, and the cause of the darkness and ignorance 
in regard to the meaning of Divine prophecy. Gibbon therefore 
uttered a great truth when he said that the gardens of Nero, where so 
many Christians suffered the death of martyrdom, were made still 
more famous since then by the abuse of the persecuted religion. See 
Gibbon’s Rome, vol. II, pp. 16 to 27. The palace of the popes stands 
where the gardens of Nero were, 



272 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. XlX. 

fail of the rest of them. The sacrifices which in time past were 
“not good” (or imperfect) inasmuch as they could only point to 
Christ who was yet to come, shall in the millennial age point back 
to the shed blood of Christ, to the fact: that the great sacrifice is 
accomplished. Therefore, then they will be perfect. The feast of 
tabernaclees, Zech. 14: 16, will then be a reminder of these present 
times of sin and sorrow. Now the wicked rule, and God’s people 
are strangers and pilgrims in Meshech and in the black tents of 
Kedar. The law of ordinances is suspended for the present, blotted 
out only for the present. It is as Paul says, nailed to the cross. 
Therefore it is fastened, it is not destroyed. The word exaleipho 
which is translated Blotting out means really: Coated over to be out 
of sight, as hand-writings on costly material, called palimpsests, 
used to be treated and then were used again for other writings. On 
such manuscripts the upper writing used to be removed and the 
original restored. It is easier that heaven and earth pass than that 
the word of God be not fulfilled. Among the things now suspended 
are those sabbaths which are a shadow of things to come in the 
millennium, but not the Sabbath which points back to the creation. 
We find the word Abolish in three passages; and in none of them 
does it say that the law is destroyed. In 2 Cor. 3: 7, 9, 13 it says 
The ministry of death and condemnation is abolished. Because 
under the old covenant there could as yet not he any hope of eternal 
life. It was first brought to light through Christ. The blood of 
animals could not save from death. Second, in Eph. 2:15 we 
read, that the enmity and middle wall of partition between Jews 
and Gentiles is abolished through Christ, and 3) in 2 Tim. 1:10 we 
read, that Jesus Christ abolished death and brought life and immor¬ 
tality to light. And Paul further says, Do we make void the law 
through faith? By no means. We establish the law. Paul and 
the rest of the apostles would have committed a grievous sin, accord¬ 
ing to Acts 21: 23-26, if God had entirely abolished the law of 
ordinances. But in the light of truth we see that they committed 
no sin. Under thq new covenant, however, the middle wall of par¬ 
tition against the Gentiles is taken out of the way. The gospel is 
for all, Jew and Gentile, Greek and Barbarian. 

For the belief in the coming kingdom of Christ the Hebrew 
Christians, the Ebionites, or Poor, were, and are yet called Sen¬ 
suous Chiliasts. The post-apostolic writings of these humblest of 
all Christians were destroyed; but still we have passages quoted 


The Immutability of God's Word. 


273 


from them by other early writers which preserve sufficient testimony 
concerning them, and also throw light on the meaning of many pas¬ 
sages of the holy Scriptures which otherwise would be mysterious. 
It was about the middle of the third century, and especially through 
the Alexandrian school, that the spirit of the papacy began to brand 
the Hebrew Christians as Heretics. Eev. 13: 6 reads, that “the 
beast opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme 
His Name and His Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven.” 
The said tabernacle is the spiritual temple of God in heaven, spoken 
of in Eev. 3: 12 and 11:1, which is composed of the 144,000 elect 
from the tribes of Israel. The members of the spiritual body of 
Christ, the members of the manchild that was brought forth by the 
Woman of Eev. 12: 1 during her conflict with paganism,* v. 4, and 
that were caught up to God and to His throne, that are waiting 
there with Christ and with the twenty-four elders till God shall 
make his enemies his footstool when they shall reign on the earth, 
Eev. 5:10 and Eev. 14:1-5: these, principally, are they that 
were slandered by the beast. And how did the beast blaspheme 
the Name of God? It despised God’s law and trod it under foot, 
bnd thought of changing it; Dan. 7: 25. The Eoman papacy set 
up the doctrine, that through Christ the law of God was changed, 
that Christ was not subordinate to the Father, that the Sabbath 
commandment and other statutes were changed. And it went even 
as far as to set up saint worship aftei the manner of the pagans. 
And how did the beast blaspheme the tabernacle of God and them 
that dwell in heaven ? By slandering God’s people after they were 
caught up to God. And those yet in the earth and that opposed the 
influx of the false doctrines of the papacy were persecuted as here¬ 
tics. 

Here we state again, and, that it might stand as in letters of 
fire: There is but one supreme and indivisible God, and His 
Eevelation which He gave to Jesus is the text by which all mys¬ 
teries are solved. Eev. 1:1. He has given unto Christ all power 
to bring back to Him all things. 1 Cor. 15: 27, 28. Even the 
power to sit at the right or at the left hand of Jesus was not of 
Jesus to give, but the Father gives it. Jesus acknowledged many 

* That the Woman is the gospel church, and that the birth of the 
Manchild of Rev. 12:5 represents the perfecting of the spiritual male 
body of Christ, or, the bridegroom, and not the fleshly birth of Jesus, 
is proven at length in Ch. IV. 



274 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XIX. 


times that not he, but only the Father knows all things, and that 
his power was given him of the Father. Therefore all the sayings 
of Christ and the apostles must be understood in the light of the 
Revelation of God. Otherwise we could not understand many 
things. But now we are in the light. Jesus is gone to the Father; 
but as a refiner of silver, Mai. 3:3, he gathered to him his elect; 
and he shall return with them Zech 14:5; 1 Thess. 4:14; and 
they shall then receive their crowns and reign with him in his 
kingdom. 

The great historian of the Fall of Rome says concerning the 
Ebionites, Poor, (as the Hebrew Christians were called) : “Their 
books having been obliterated, the faith of the Ebionites is evidently 
not understood by those who do not believe in the restoration of the 
kingdom of Israel, and who give to the prophecies an entirely figu¬ 
rative interpretation. The scanty and suspicious materials of ecclesi¬ 
astic history seldom enable us to dispel the dark cloud that hangs 
over the first ages of the church.”* Therefore let us hold to the 
testimony of the Bible in regard to all doctrines. Let us cast aside 
the confused traditions of Romanism which were propagated in th§ 
middle of the downfall of the old empire. Papal witchcraft over¬ 
awes all sects. All the modern church historians were entangled 
therein, and have more or less slandered the Hebrew Christians 
and accused them of ignorance, superstition, and a too great attach¬ 
ment to the Old Testiment. Nevertheless even from those histor¬ 
ians we can glean important facts, which they found in the early 
writings. 

Concerning the primitive church congregation at Jerusalem 
Gibbon says: “The first fifteen bishops of Jerusalem were all cir¬ 
cumcised Jews; and the congregation over which they presided 
united the law of Moses with the doctrines of Christ. It was 
natural that the primitive tradition of a church which was founded 
only fifty days after the death of Christ, and was governed almost 
as many years under the immediate inspection of his apostle should 
be received as the standarl of orthodoxy. The distant churches 
very frequently appealed to the authority of their venerable parent, 

* We have before stated that we believe it was under the influence 
of the spirit that Neander spoke of the Ebionites of Asia as of being 
of “the Church,” in the singular, so here we think the same also of 
Gibbon, as he says, The Church. For there is but one true Church 
of God. 



The Immutability of God's Word. 


275 


and relieved her distress by liberal contribution of aims. But 
when numerous and opulent societies were established in the great 
cities of the empire, in Antioch, Alexandria, Corinth and Rome, 
the reverence which Jerusalem had inspired to all the Christian 
colonies insensibly diminished; and the Gentiles, who, with the 
approbation of their peculiar apostle, had rejected the intolerable 
weight of the Mosaic ceremonies at length refused to their more 
scrupulous brethren the same toleration which at first they had 
humbly solicited for their own practice.”* This intolerance com¬ 
menced already about the end of the second century when the 
Gentile Christians had again become very numerous. They de¬ 
parted more and more from the teaching of the apostles. The 
second coming of Christ and his reign on earth was a-great hope and 
joy of the primitive Christians; but (says the historian) “the Gen¬ 
tile converts soon cast this faith overboard and exchanged it for an 
imaginary reign in heaven.”t The Gentiles called the Hebrews 
silly anthropomorphite chiliasts, but omittted to say whether they 
held their mansleeping views in respect to all men, or only them 
that were not in Christ. The Gentiles finally attacked the Revela¬ 
tion, as Gibbon says: “The doctrine of Christ’s reign on the earth 
was at length rejected as the absurd invention of heresy and fanat- 

* By his including all the “so-called” Mosaic laws among cere¬ 
monies of intolerable weight, and including laws that were not sacri¬ 
ficial among “laws of Moses” by which term not we, but people in 
general, understand the ceremonial laws, we would say Gibbon was 
going too far, if we did not know that it was his manner to present 
the general public opinion instead of his own. The attentive reader 
of Gibbon’s work discovers very soon that he does not always hold the 
opinion, which, as a historian, he pens as the sentiment of the public 
at large in the respective times he writes of.—The intolerable burden 
was solely the sacrificial law, which included ceremonial sabbaths and 
the great tax of the tenth for the support of the priesthood. This and 
all other sacrificial laws, but none else, were nailed to the cross. We 
have all the necessary evidence to know that the apostles considered 
only the “enmity” against other nations as being abolished and the 
old sacrificial laws and the tithings as the unbearable burden that was 
suspended. We know that God gave many ordinances by Moses which 
were not sacrificial, but emanated from the ten commandments, and 
were therefore kept by the apostles. Some of them were enjoined by 
the holy spirit to the Gentiles also. See Acts 15:28,29. 

f Is the reader not bound to acknowledge that Gibbon understood 
in this matter the Scripture better than the clergy who often accused 
him of infidelity? 



276 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. XIX. 


icism. And the Revelation of John, which still forms a part of the 
sacred canon, but which was thought to favor the exploded senti¬ 
ment has very narrowly escaped the proscription of the church/’* 
namely the proscription of the Roman church. 

When Jesus comes again he does not, as some think, just come 
to meet those that await his coming, for to take them to heaven. 
No, Paul says not that Jesus will meet those that look for him, but 
the reverse, namely that those who look for his return will meet 
him in the air and shall be with him ever after. He is coming 
down on the earth with those of his saints that are the first fruits, 
namely the 144,000, Rev. ch. 14, and their bodies shall be raised, 
and they shall be in their bodies, even as Christ, and shall be im¬ 
mortal and reign with Christ, and Paul was wrong in expecting 
this and the coming of Christ already in his lifetime even as the 
Lord afterward showed, 2 Thess 2: 2. Let us hold fast to the 
Revelation of God, Rev. 1: 1 and always appeal to it. Afterward, 
when the thousand years’ reign is past, the general resurrection 
shall take place, 1 Cor. 15:23, Rev. ch 20. We are persuaded that 
none of them that are on the earth at Christ’s coming, shall go 
to heaven. For the Scripture proves that those who shall be mem¬ 
bers of the bride company are to be gathered before Christ’s return 
and shall remain in heaven until the ages of the restitution and all 
the tribulations of the wicked are ended, until death and the grave 
are conquered and the kingdom given up to God. We say again: 
The 144,000 elect that come with Christ are the members of the 
spiritual male body, the bridegroom, of which Jesus is the head, and 
that they will reign with Christ until the end of the times of the 
restitution. First is the millennial (1,000 years’) reign, and then 
shall come the general resurrection and the judgment. And then 
shall the earth be purified and redeemed, and then shall the heavenly 

* The reason why he called it The exploded sentiment is stated in 
the footnote next before the last.—Those who have gone through this 
book can see the absurdity of thinking that the Revelation is not the 
word of God and that there will be no millennial kingdom on the 
earth; and they will remember God’s word in David’s prophecy: 
“Why do the heathen imagine a vain thing”?—The Revelation had 
indeed once been excluded from the Scriptures by the Gentile Christ¬ 
ians in the council of Laodicea. And it was foretold of our own days, 
that in the latter days people shall say, Where is the promise of 
Christ’s coming? 



The Immutability of God's Word. 


277 


Jerusalem, the great bride company, also descend from God out of 
heaven. Notice, that between Christ’s return and the general resur¬ 
rection there shall be a thousand years during which Christ and the 
elect shall reign on the earth. When those 1000 years are ended, 
then shall the elect be gathered togther and sit with Christ also in 
judgment over the world, over all the resurrected hosts that have 
ever lived on the earth. Nowhere in the Bible is any testimony 
that the saints shall reign in heaven, but they shall reign on the 
earth. The armies in heaven come with Christ as it is written in 
Rev. ch. 19: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white 
horse;* and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, 
and in righteousness he doth judge and make war; his eyes are as a 
flame of fire, and on his head many crowns. . . . And his name is 
called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven followed him. 
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should 
smite the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and 
he treadeth the wdnepress of the fierceness of the wrath of the 
Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a 
name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.” 

The reign of the restitution is the first heaven spoken of in 
Rev. 21: 1. During that reign, of which the millinnium is only 
the first part, all evil shall be destroyed. When those ages, the 
millennium, resurrection, judgment and the tribulations of the 
wicked are ended, then shall the earth become full of the blessings 
of God. Death and the grave shall be no more. And there shall no 
more be a temple to bring sacrifices into it; for no sacrifices shall 
be necessary any more. But the Lord, the Almighty God and the 
Lamb are the temple of the holy city. Christ and his saints are one 
with God, John 17:24 26. In this temple therefore are the 144, 
000 who have attained the Divine Nature and an exceding weight 
of glory. And the innumerable company of the redeemed of all 
nations, brought forth during the present dispensation by the 
labors of the church of God, is the bride. And there shall be in the 
holy city the tree of life; and its leaves shall be for the healing of 
the nations. “And there shall be no more sea,” no more restless 
discontented and disobedient people; for all shall be satisfied. 

NOTE I.—It is impossible for any one that has read Chapters X 
and XI to believe, as many do, that the eletion of the 144,000 is not yet 
finished. For we have proven that the 144,000 were gathered from the 


Compare with Rev. 6:2 and see the interpretation in Ch. IX. 



278 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XIX. 

tribes of Israel before the opening of the sixth seal, and that since 
then the election of members for the bridecompany has continued. 

NOTE 2.—We believe that during the 1,000 years’ reign (that is 
before the general resurrection) the inhabitants of the earth shall 
also obey the law of God that man shall eat his bread in the sweat of 
the face; so that there will not be some, as now, who eat the labor of 
the poor, the bread that others worked for. Men cannot tyrannize 
over one another in that age, and certainly none will be allowed to 
make merchandize of the bread, to buy corn and sell it again at a 
profit. If men cannot live on the interest of money, and every man 
shall at least raise his own bread and shall not make merchandize 
of it, but give freely to them, and only to them, that cannot work, 
then shall be no more downtrodden people, no more large cities with 
thousands in suffering for want of work, no more people with great 
estates and others without homes. It takes only a small spot and 
very little time to raise the food for one family. Indeed we are told 
that under Christ’s government the cities of the nations shall fall, 
that the cunning shall not increase his possession and rob the poor 
and humble. Peace and health shall be with the people that are will¬ 
ing to walk in God’s laws; and no one shall make them afraid, nor 
take advantage of them. We speak here of the millennium, the time, 
or age, that shall yet be before the general resurrection. 

NOTE 3.—God is faithful. He will not break the word which He 
gave to Abraham. It is not at all the righteousness of the nation of 
Israel that entitles it to possess the Promised Land, but only the 
value of that covenant which God gave to Abraham. But while among 
the children of Israel (especially nowadays) there are as wicked 
people as among other nations, yet according to historical and bibli¬ 
cal testimony there have been among them certain ones of such per¬ 
fect faith and the spirit of self-sacrifice and love to God the like we 
look for in vain among the Gentiles. Consider, for example, the apos¬ 
tle Paul. The Scripture, which^ says, “One man among a thousand 
have 1 found, but a woman have I not found’’ has a deep spiritual 
meaning. We have shown concerning the spiritual body of Christ, 
which is the bridegroom, that his members were exclusively gathered 
out of the circumcision. This is that man. As to the members of the 
female body, or bride; they are gathered from the weaker ones, chiefly 
from the Gentiles, or Uncircumcision. They are those who had been 
defiled by the paganized creeds of Babylon, but they came out of 
Babylon and washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. May you, 
oh reader, do likewise, and remain not in the city of abominations but 
strive after the right of citizenship in the holy city of God, the 
heavenly Jerusalem. 

The sign of circumcision was a sign of the first election, not for all 
of Israel but only those few who made their calling and election sure. 
So is also our calling to become members of the bridecompany. Many 
are called, but few are chosen. Not that God is a respecter of persons, 
but it depends whether we overcome or not; whether we win the race 


The Immutability of God's Word. 


279 


or not. If not, we may be saved, but though as by fire, and we are 
naked and get no higher than the estate we lost in Adam. From 
Abraham’s seed should come the Hero, the Male, the Strong one, the 
Son, the Seed in whom all the families of earth shall be blessed, the 
spiritual Bridegroom, whose head is Christ, that shall prepare the 
earth for the future abode of the bride. His members are “the called 
according to God’s purpose. For whom He foreknew He also did pre¬ 
destinate to be conformable to the image of His Son, that he might be 
the firstborn of many brethren.” Rom. 8:28,29. 

Excepting Palestine in the time of the apostles, there were more 
Israelites in Asia Minor and Upper Asia than anywhere else. Tither- 
ward in particular Peter addressed his epistles. There the apostle 
John labored. After the destruction of Jerusalem the Hebrew Christ¬ 
ian communities in the said countries entered the time of their greatest 
prosperity notwithstanding many pagan persecutions. This happy 
state, though decreasing before the middle of the third century, did 
not end until 313, which was the year of the proclamation of the Edict 
of Toleration. This edict was the sign of the end of the gathering of 
the 144,000 elect from the Christians of the Circumcision, and also 
of the victory of the Church of God over paganism, see Ch. IX, X and 
XI. Now the powers of darkness changed their tactics. The open 
struggle against Christianity by the pagan Roman power being over, 
Satan continued his war under the subtle cover of a false Christianity 
which began to work publicly through the enactments of the council 
of Nice. An impure church arose which upheld pagan doctrines and 
which, by and by, was supported by state powers. The papacy in¬ 
creased in strength until finally it caused the Woman (Rev. ch. 12), 
that is the true Church of God, to flee into the wilderness. Many of 
the saints were overcome and killed by the beast, and the world was 
deceived. But the true Church herself was not overcome ant could 
not be overcome; and now, since 1795, she is publicly seen again. 

NOTE 4.—The spirit of Jesus withstood Paul to preach in Asia 
“that word” which he brought from the council at Jerusalem and 
which concerned only the Gentiles, namely the Uncircumcision. See 
Acts ch. 16. The province of Asia and Bithynia were at that time 
full of Israelites and became the special missionary field of the mis¬ 
sionary labors of John. When Paul therefore came to Troas he was 
by a vision called over into Europe to preach to the Gentiles (or Uncir¬ 
cumcision) from whom the members of the bridecompany are princi¬ 
pally gathered. Paul was full of faith and love and did a great work 
among the Gentiles. But afterward he yet went into Asia. Probably 
Paul would have escaped captivity at Jerusalem, if he had not gone 
there. The unconverted Israelites of Asia were the cause of his great 
troubles that awaited him at Jerusalem, Acts 21:27,28. It was un¬ 
doubtedly for his not keeping away from the tribes of Israel with his 
charge of preaching uncircumcision and for his leniency toward the 


280 


Exposition of Heayenly Truths: Ch. XIX. 


omission of other unsacrificial laws* that Paul finally met with disap¬ 
proval from all in Asia, including even the Greek Christians. See 
2 Tim. 1:15. It seems even some of the Gentiles were circumcised in 
that country;' Paul himself also had Timothy circumcised. Paul 
founded a separate community of Gentile Christians at Ephesus. But 
the apostle John presided over the communities of those in Minor 
Asia that were from the Circumcision. (It is said that there were also 
two separate Christian congregations at Antioch in Syria; one of 
Hebrews and one of Gentiles. Also at Jerusalem, after the year 135, 
there were two separate congregations. For when in 135 Bishop 
Marcus, himself of Gentile descent, admitted uncircumcised men into 
the community, the old members withdrew to themselves.)—Clement 
of Alexandria said, he supposed the reason why Paul did not affix his 
name to his epistle to the Hebrews was “because the Hebrews had 
imbibed prejudices against him and suspected him, and because the 
blessed presbyter (John) used to say: Since the Lord who was the 
apostle of the Almighty, was sent to the Hebrews, Paul, by reason of 
his inferiority, as if sent to the Gentiles, did not subscribe himself 
an apostle of the Hebrews: both out of reverence for the Lord, and 
because he wrote of his abundance to the Hebrews, as a herald and 
apostle of the Gentiles.” See Euseb. b. VI, ch. 14. 

NOTE 6.—Titus, after having destroyed Jerusalem, carried Judah 
and Benjamin into Spain and Italy. Sixty years later, in what is 
called the Galilean war, the otner ten tribes were conquered; and 
Emperor Hadrian settled them along the German frontiers. Thence 
they spread eastward over Poland and Russia, and lately in great num¬ 
bers also over the United States of America. Thus the ten tribes re¬ 
mained in the North, still separated from the Jews, as they had been 
before the Galilean rebellion. Because of their long sojourn in Germany 
more than half the Russian Hebrews have yet German family names. 
The ancient Germans and Israelites sympathized with one another in 
their great hatred against Rome. The Arians (Goths, Suevi, etc., in 
Spain and Italy (likewise protected the Jews in the South. But thruogh 
papal influence the Jews finally began to be persecuted and mutual 
hatred sprang up. At present the two branches are yet separated; 
for the prophets foretold that they should not become one nation until 
the reign of Christ. The Israelites of Germany and the North gen¬ 
erally did never intermarry with the Jews of North Africa, Spain and 
Portugal; and they do not divide the Pentateuch alike as they read it 
in the synagogues. As the Jews in Ezra’s time would not suffer any 
man from the ten tribes to help them in building the temple, so have 
they yet a dislike for their brethren in Germany and Russie. I uther’s 
Bible translation shows that he was acquainted only with Ephraimites. 
We read in German Bibles: Sem, Josua, Sunem, etc. On the other 


* He also would not object to the eating of meats sacrificed to 
Idols, except it might offend the weak. Compare Acts 15:29 with 
I Cor. ch. 8. 



The Immutability of God’s Word. 


281 


hand, instead of the ten tribes, Jews only from the South through traf¬ 
ficking first entered England about the time of the Reformation 
(D’Israe'li, Montefiori, etc., are Southern names). The said words 
therefore in the English and French Bibles read: Shem, Joshua, 
Shunem, etc. (Sc is the French designation for sh.) This s and sli 
show the same as Sibboleth and Shibboleth, the difference between 
the dialects of Ephraim and Judah, see Judge 12:6. Did not Jesus 
send his disciples throughout the coasts of Israel? And they are not 
yet converted, nor will be until Christ’s return, as he said, Matt. 10:23. 
According to the word of the Lord multitudes of Israelites returned 
to their own land during the favorable time of the reign of the 
Persian kings. Isa. 13:14. But the Jews did not mention the return 
of any of other tribes: for they had not enough regard for them. Did 
not Ezekiel continually deliver his prophecies to “the elders of Israel’’ 
in Babylon? And this was 150 years after the ten tribes were carried 
into captivity, as late as the time when Judah also was ripe in evil 
for being taken to the same place. When the Jews returned, many out 
of the ten tribes returned. Many also wandered West into Pontus 
and Asia. The ten tribes are not lost. Paul also spake to the “men 
of Israel” that were at Jerusalem worshiping and one of the apostles 
wrote an epistle to the Jews in general. James also wrote “to the 
twelve tribes that are scattered abroad;” Jams 1:1; and Peter to the 
same in Asia, Bithynia and Pontus. In the days of the apostles the 
ten tribes were chiefly in Northern Palestine, Syria and Minor Asia, 
and the two tribes Judah and Benjamin were chiefly in Southern Pal¬ 
estine, Cyrene, Egypt and Arabia. The bulk of the latter was exiled 
into Spain and Italy by command of Titus. But when finally they 
were persecuted in Spain also, they dispersed mostly over North Africa 
and eastward. Luke mentions the tribe of Asher in his gospel, ch. 
2:36.—In Euseb. b. 2, ch. 23, we have a plain testimony from Hege- 
sippus that the priests at Jerusalem, at the passover when they killed 
James the Just (only three years before the destruction of Jerusalem) 
said, that “all the tribes” came to worship on the passover at Jeru¬ 
salem, i. e. people out of all the tribes .-—The name Jews came to be 
applied to all the descendants of Israel, not only by the Gentiles, but 
also the N. Testament scriptures: because the capital of all Israel in 
the days of David and Solomon was in the land of Judah, and because 
the Jews had become the leading and most noted of all the Israelitish 
people, especially after the Babylonian captivity.—Not until the millen¬ 
nium, when they shall have returned into their own land, shall the 
enmity between Judah and Ephraim cease and the twelve tribes again 
become one nation. However, prophecy shows that “the tents of 
Judah shall be saved first.” And we notice at present that the Jews 
in North Africa and the East are less hindered by worldly interests 
and certain conditions to return to Palestine, than the ten tribes which 
are in continental Europe and the United States. Further see also 
Zech. 14:14. 


282 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


Chapter XX. 

On Daniel, Ch. 2, v. 43, which reads, “And whereas thou 
sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves 
with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even 
as iron cannot mix with clay.” 

The second chapter of Daniel, taken in the aggregate, is well 
understood. It gives first an outline of the great kingdoms that 
before the arising of the ten horns ruled all that part of the world 
in which the knowledge of the true God was disseminated after the 
fall of the kingdom of the ten tribes. The empire of Babylon 
was the first throughout which God’s chosen people became dis¬ 
persed. Then came Medo-Persia, then the empire of the Greeks 
with its four branches (ch. 8), then that of the Romans. The 
prophecy then speaks of ten horns which overthrew the Roman 
empire, and (in ch. 7) of another horn which arose among them 
and was diverse from them. The ten horns represent the new gov¬ 
ernments, and that other horn is the papacy. And third is the an¬ 
nouncement of the setting up of the kingdom of Christ and his 
saints over all the earth. This prophecy, Dan. ch 2, which was 
delivered in the time of the first universal kingdom, namely that 
of the Assyro—Babylonians, yea, hundreds of years before even 
the name of Rome had become known to the Jews, is now almost 
entirely fulfilled. Only the last event therein foretold is yet lack¬ 
ing, namely the establishment of the kingdom of the saints. 

But the above mentioned 43d verse is generally not correctly 
understood. Its fulfillment began when the kingdoms of the 
present, so-called Christian world, became' fully established upon 
the ruins of Rome. It shows that after the passing away of the 
fourth, or Roman empire, the barrier which before had separated 
Roman citizens from barbarians was to be removed, so that the Iron, 
or Roman, and the Clay or Barbarian, should intermingle through 
marriages between them. But as iron and clay do not perfectly 
adhere, so these marriages have never brought about the establish¬ 
ment of a new universal empire. This prophetic testimony is an 
additional sign of the last age before the setting up of the universal 
kingdom of Christ. 

The facts in relation to v. 43 of Dan. ch 2 are, therefore these: 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


283 


1) That the Roman law forbade marriage alliances with strangers.* 

2) That this law was dropped after the end of the sixth seal, and 
just before the time of the commencement of the 1260 years of the 
great power of the witnesses of Rev. ch 11. 3) That the martial 
unions or minglings among the princes and rulers had, however, no 
influence to cement union and insure peace among them As iron 
and clay will not firmly unite, so did these marriages never pro¬ 
duce lasting attachments, and did not lessen the number of sover¬ 
eigns and of governments, and did not prevent the establishment of 
many new governments, kingdoms and republics. 

Thus was this prophecy fulfilled, being in harmony also with 
the words of Jesus which testified that no other universal power, or 
single political heaven, should appear after the fall of the Roman. 
The powers of the present political heavens have no stability, but 
are involved in constant changes and revolutions, and there will be 
no chance for any one of them to become another universal ruling 
power over the earth (or figurative heaven). 

* For this reason Emperor Titus could not espouse Berenice, king 
Agrippa’s sister, with whom he was fallen in love. Anthony’s amours 
with Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, brought upon him the hatred of his 
fellow-citizens, and finally his ruin. Felix, the Roman procurator, Acts 
24, married a Jewess. But Felix was a man who had committed 
many great crimes, for which, after he was stripped of his office, Nero, 
the emperor, would have had him killed, if it had not been for the 
entreaties of Pallas, the brother of Felix. The woman he had taken 
from her husband and was living with her in adultery. Placidia’s 
marriage with the Gothic king was consummated contrary to Roman 
law, because her people could not prevent it. The Goths had taken 
her captive in war. 


Chapter XXL 

The Return of Sodom. Ez. 16: 48—56. 

Some regard the doctrine of the restoration of the Sodomites 
and Samaritans to their former estate as being very dangerous. It 
does,however, not appear so, if we consider what those must lose who 
are not converted now. The suffering of the wicked (which is yet 
to come after their ressurrection) is very often overlooked. The 
said prophecy does not state the exact time of the restoration of 




284 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXI. 

Sodom and Samaria. We only know that it shall occur during the 
times of the restitution of which the millennial age is the first. 
We have shown before that the general resurrection is predicted for 
the time following the millennium. 

To offer no conjectures, but to adhere to revealed facts, has 
been, so far, the plan of the writer. Thus he was enabled to speak 
with authority on the numerous prophecies that are already ful¬ 
filled. But, as to the details in the events that shall occur during 
the ages of restitution, and as to whether finally all the wicked 
will die to their evil and selfish nature and be converted and puri 
fied in fires of correction (Isa. 26:9) and become enabled to return 
to the estate for which Adam was created, or whether some will re¬ 
main incorrigible and therefore will at last be utterly annihilated, 
are among the things on which no man can speak with authority. 
From the testimony of the Scriptures (correctly translated) we 
know, however, this: that the torment of the wicked will not be 
endless, see Ch. XXIV. We are going to present here some of the 
views that are held by eminent Bible students concerning the 
second death, hoping that no bitter feelings nor unprofitable dis¬ 
putes will be evoked thereby, but that they be regarded only as 
incentives for private reflection. For the Scripture says that the 
secret things belong to the Lord, but to us the things (only) which 
are revealed. 

We know what the first death is which came upon all flesh, 
and what the bondage is and the curse of sin that weights down 
the whole world. But as to the second death we can not speak pos¬ 
itively. The view of some is, that "It is the death of the self-will 
and of the carnal nature, the death of the evil desires which all 
those who have not died by laying off the old man with his sins and 
subjecting themselves to the law of God in the. present time, must 
yet pass through after their resurrection during the ages of resti¬ 
tution.” It is thought that "the fiery torment of the wicked con¬ 
sists in this: that they shall come to realize and regret the misery 
which their evil deeds have wrought; that they shall feel their 
shame and deplore their alienations from God and from the right¬ 
eous, that in this manner they must die to their own rebellious 
self to their carnal nature, before they can have peace, not as par¬ 
takers of the great salvation and thecrown thatshallbegiven to the 
overcomers of the present dispensation, but shall be without the 
gates of the holy city. That they shall not reach any higher posi- 


The Return of Sodom: Ez. 16:48-56. 


285 


tion than the one in which Adam was before he fell. That as they 
are resurrected in the same sinful state, as they died, they are first 
to suffer “in the presence of the Lamb and the holy angels,” Rev. 
14, and then “they shall learn righteousness, Isa. 26:9; and they 
shall not spitefully “gnash” their teeth (as from King James’ 
translation it may appear to some) as though they experienced an 
endless and cruel suffering to no purpose, but that of tormenting 
them; but their teeth, spiritually speaking, shall chatter, and they 
shall “bite them together” for confusion and remorse, for shame 
and humiliation, having now full knowledge of the evil and ex¬ 
ceeding sinfulness of their wickedness. In the realization of their 
own unworthiness they shall feel the love of God, spiritually, as 
coals of fire on their head. Their suffering is not to last through¬ 
out all “the ages of the ages” (as God liveth), but only through 
certain “ages of ages”* as it is written in Rev. 14:11, and as it is 
written that there shall come a time when all pain and suffering 
shall have an end. But as smoke is yet seen after the fire is out, 
and is a reminder of fires that have been burning, so it is a figure 
that those who suffered shall yet remember their former tribula¬ 
tions. They shall remember and never forget: for, according to the 
Revelation the wicked (although then converted) shall be left out¬ 
side the city of God and shall be debarred from the unspeakable 
glories of the blest; namely, from the things which ear has not 
heard, nor eye seen, nor has ever entered into any man’s mind. 
Only those that, according to the law of faith in Christ, have 
worked out their salvation shall enter in and be partakers of those 
things. For the Spirit says, “Blessed are they that keep His com¬ 
mandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life and 
may enter in through the gates into the city: for without are 
dogs, and sorcerers, and murderers, and idolators, and whosoever 
loveth and maketh a lie.” (Those who now are such.) No more 
will they commit sin; undoubtedly there shall be no more tempta¬ 
tion to sin; and they shall have learnt to hate sin and to love 
righteousness. Yet they are unworthy to enter into the city and 
have access to the tree of life: for they failed in the conditions 
that w^ere required; they died as evildoers, and their reformation 


* The ages of restitution. Compare the original Greek eis aioonas 
aioonoon in Rev. 14:11 with eis tous aioonas toon aiognoon in Rev. 
15:7. 



286 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXI. 

was brought about as much by distress and forcible correction, at 
first, as by their own efforts afterwards. They have to pass, spir¬ 
itually speaking, through fires by which they are tormented, and 
humbled and purified. They shall feel their shame and shall over¬ 
come their own carnal self, and die to their old evil nature, so 
that there will not be left to them anything of it, neither root nor 
branch. And instead of feeling wrath against God they will ac¬ 
quire love for God and for His law; and then shall, their suffering 
be ended. Finally, there shall be no more sorrow, nor pain, nor 
crying, and God will be all in all, and even death shall then be 
conquered.” This is the belief held by them who expect the final 
salvation of all mankind. 

II. Another view is this “that the second death is a literal 
death like the first, but without a prospect of resurrection. Fire 
is not only a symbol of purification and suffering, but also of de¬ 
struction; and all those who at the general resurrection are not 
found written in the Lamb’s book of life shall be utterly destroyed, 
and that in this sense the lake of fire, which is the second death, is 
eternal: for the destruction will be eternal. The valley of Hinnom 
was a place of destruction, and was therefore used symbolically by 
our Lord to represent eternal death, or, which is the same, the sec¬ 
ond death.” 

III. Some again believe, “that the torment of the wicked in 
the presence of the Lamb and the holy angels, which is spoken of 
in Rev. ch. 14, takes place before that resurrection which is men¬ 
tioned in Rev. 20:12 and 13, namely, that there is a resurrection 
and a second chance, the return of Sodom and Samaria, during 
the millenium, before the last or general resurrection and judg¬ 
ment.” There are other views. Some agree partially with the 
above. But that the resurrection of the unjust takes place dur¬ 
ing the millenium is certainly a false belief. 

The knowledge of the love of God, who will not that any should 
perish, should awaken in man the greatest abhorrence of all things 
that are contrary to the will of God. Let no one imagine that the 
prophecy of Ezekiel concerning the return of Sodom and Samaria 
shall not be fulfilled the same as any other prophecy in Divine 
Scripture. However, no prophecy can be perfectly understood be¬ 
fore the fulfilment thereof is demonstrated by accomplished facts. 
We perceive only the shadows and dark outlines of the events that 
are approaching. 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths . 287 

Jesus undoubtedly thought on this prophecy of Ezekiel when 
he said that it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in 
the day of judgment than for the cities.that were favored by his 
mission and saw his wonderful works. 

Paul says, “God is the Savior of all men, especially them that 
believe”; and we have seen before, that the special salvation of the 
elect is 'on conditions. Now, that the right to the common salva¬ 
tion is also conditional, is evident; and whether all will meet the 
terms in due time is a question. The special salvation is for those 
only who came to God through faith during the times past and 
present of the dispensations of His grace. The 144,000 from the 
tribes of Israel and the innumerable members of the bridecompany 
which are taken out from all nations Inherit the special salvation. 
According to Rev. ch. 19 the marriage of the Lamb will be in the 
past before the opening of the millenium; therefore the rest of 
mankind, that are not converted before the millennium, can not 
obtain the special salvation, the right to enter the company of the 
elect that constitute the spiritual city of God. 


Chapter XXII. 

On the Ordinance of Baptism and the Way to the High 
Calling in Christ Jesus, 

Concerning the gospel of Christ Paul says: “It is the power 
of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, 
and also to the Greek; for therein is the righteousness of God 
revealed.” 

Here is a very important question: What is the righteousness 
of God through which we can be saved? In order to find it, we 
will take up the testimonies of the Scripture and begin with the 
beginning of the gospel: Mark 1:1, “The beginning of the gospel 
of Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” v. 4: “John came who baptized 
in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance unto re¬ 
mission of sins.” We find here that the preaching of the baptism 
of repentance unto remission of sins was the beginning of the gos¬ 
pel of Jesus Christ which until then had been concealed under 
signs and ceremonies. This is the testimony of John. John did 
not send the people to the levitical priesthood; but he told them 
to repent and directed them to the coming Saviour. 



288 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXII. 

Christ said, “Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ 
to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repent¬ 
ance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all 
nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these 
things.” (Luke 24:46-48.) Further he said: “He that believes 
and is baptized shall be saved,” Mark 16:16. This he taught after 
his resurrection. He connected baptism with repentance, the same 
as John had done. And he mentions Faith; for the sinner can 
not truly repent until he has first been enlightened through suf¬ 
ficient testimony to believe in the One and eternal God Who is holy 
and righteous and hates sin; and that God in His love for us gave 
us Christ and accepts his blood and righteousness for our past 
transgressions. 

Through the testimony of God’s word faith is quickened and 
prompts the sinner to repent and confess Christ and do the things 
that are enjoined on him for to be done. Him who confesses 
Christ before men, him will Christ also confess before God (Matth. 
10:32). Paul declared both unto Jews and Gentiles the true doc¬ 
trine of salvation, namely repentance toward God and faith toward 
Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). 

Repentance toward God springs forth from the belief in God 
and the knowledge of the righteousness of His holy command¬ 
ments. Repentance is man’s individual work, and his first good 
work in the sight of God. It is the beginning of man’s doing right 
from his own desire. Without faith and love toward God and 
toward Christ no man can truly repent and humble himself so that 
he can be saved. Faith cometh by hearing the word of God (Rom. 
10:14-21). And the word of God is contained in the law and the 
prophets. Before any man can love God he first must know Him 
as the righteous and holy and merciful God, and have a conception 
of the righteousness and holiness of His commandments: and so 
will he strive to obey the will of God with all his heart and mind 
and strength. He will not only do right through worldly policy, 
or through being prompted by instinct, but out of love to God Who 
is the source of all wisdom and full of love and mercy and truth 
which He has manifested and will yet manifest in the ages to come. 
This knowledge of the true God is not natural, but was given and 
its truth proven to us by the Spirit of God and laid down in the 
holy Scripture. 


The Way into the Kingdom of God. 


289 


On the other hand God has instilled in the hearts of all men, 
even them that never heard of Him, a certain respect for what is 
right between man and man and a fear to do what might injure our 
neighbor, or even what might be cruelty toward beasts. Paul says 
in Bom. 2:14, 15, that this peculiar law is written in the hearts of 
all men.* A heathen or infidel, though wicked and prone to evil, 
will feel sorry for his wrong doings toward his fellowmen: even 
because he can not help it: for God has willed it that it must be 
so; and it must be so to keep up order in this world to a certain ex¬ 
tent. The repentance of the wordlian therefore is forced; it is 
forced by his own nature; it is not the repentance that comes of a 
free will, out of pure love toward God and glad obedience to His 
righteous law, and can therefore not receive any reward. Certain 
men are also by nature not quite as evil as others. Therefore 
Jesus showed that men will be judged in proportion to the light 
which they had received concerning God and His commandments 
and in proportion to the magnitude of their struggle against evil. 

Good works in the sight of God are those that are the out¬ 
growth of faith and love toward God, and done in joyful obedi¬ 
ence to His righteous commandments. We are sons of God, if we 
delight in His commandments. Paul says, Heb. 11:6, “Without 
faith it is impossible to please Iiim: for he that cometh to God must 
believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently 
seek Him ” No man therefore can acceptably serve God except he 
loves God and has been taught concerning God. Works which are 
produced by faith in God are acceptable to God. No man can have 
the true repentance except he first have faith in God and is con¬ 
vinced that every sin is, in the first place, a sin against God Him¬ 
self. The keeping of God’s commandments through policy and 
worldly wisdom brings reward only in this short life. But through 
faith in God and Christ, which brings forth obedience, we inherit 
the exceeding great reward of eternal life. For “blessed are they 

* For this reason the heathen know what is right in civil mat¬ 
ters. Paul therefore exhorted the brethren to be subject to the pagan 
Roman government. He shows that the political powers understand 
what is right between man and man. Paul mentioned therefore in 
Rom. ch. 13 only the laws of the second table. While he speaks of 
theft, murder, and other laws, he says nothing of duties toward God, 
because the heathen know not God, and to judge in religious matters 
is therefore no business of any civil government. 



290 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXII. 


that do His commandments that they may have a right to the tree 
of life.” This is the commandment which Jesus received from 
the Father to give unto us, namely: that by faith in him we should 
be saved and have immortal life if we keep His commandments 
and remain in His love. And he says, Not every one that says to 
me Lord, lord, shall enter into the kingdom, but he that does the 
will of my Father which is in heaven. Paul likewise wrote to the 
Ephesians (2:10), that we who are in Christ Jesus are God’s 
workmanship to do good works which God afore prepared that we 
should walk in them. 

As to the Jews, their faith in God, and consequently their re¬ 
pentance toward God, preceded faith in Jesus. For before the 
preaching of John they had not heard that Christ had come. 
Therefore it is strange that nowadays some have commenced to 
teach that faith comes after repentance, or in other words, that a 
repentance that comes before faith is of value in the sight of God. 
In imaginary support of their assertion they quote Mark 1:15, the 
preaching of John to the Jews: “Kepent ye and believe the gospel;” 
and also Matth. 21:32. Now we know that those passages con¬ 
cerned the Jews; and that they do not apply to the Gentiles who 
were without the knowledge of God. Eph. 2:12. The Jews 
claimed already to know God and His commandments and the 
prophecies concerning the coming of Christ and of his forerunner, 
John. Therefore when the Jews confessed and repented of their 
sins toward God, they should also have believed the gospel con¬ 
cerning Christ which John preached. Faith in God preceded the 
repentance of the Jews that came to John, but their faith did not 
extend afterward to the belief that Jesus was the Christ, although 
John referred them to the testimony of the prophets, and although 
they saw the works of God which Jesus performed. There is there¬ 
fore no foundation for the doctrine which some now preach that the 
repentance which precedes faith in God is of value in the sight of 
God. It is unscriptural and contrary to common sense, and a de¬ 
lusion and a snare. For there are infidels also, who, being smit¬ 
ten by their conscience, feel remorse over their doings.* But only 

* The above remark is for those who do not correctly understand 
Matt. 21:32. Said passage only shows, that, after having seen th^ 
conversion of harlots and publicans, the elders and priests still re¬ 
mained in their unrepentance toward God, and did not believe John’s 
testimony concerning Christ.—If, as is believed, Matthew wrote his 



The Way into the Kingdom of God. 


291 


love and faith in God can create the true repentance toward our 
Father in heaven and cause reverence even for the least of the 
commandments because they are His commandments. We have 
committed many wrongs which wc can correct no more, which 
God in mercy for Jesus’ sake will cast into the sea of forgetful¬ 
ness. But if it is in the power of man to correct a wrong that he 
has done, and he does it not, that man’s repentance is not genu¬ 
ine. The conviction that any transgression of God’s command¬ 
ments is first a sin against God Himself underlies true repentance 
(Ps. 51:6). A man who loves God will also do the commandments 
on account of which he will be persecuted or ridiculed by the world, 
and he will be pained in seeing anyone transgressing God’s com¬ 
mandments, and he will reprove his neighbor of his sins, though 
he should be hated for it. It will never do to preach morality 
alone without doctrine. As long as faith in God is lacking we 
can not hope of a sincere reformation of the sinner. As long as 
Luther strove only against abuses in the Roman church and the 
vices of the clergy he could not do much good. But as soon as he 
attacked doctrinal points, and the crown of the pope, then the work 
of Reformation was started. Oh, that then he had continued in 
the right path and had not turned again! 

Repentance toward God cannot precede faith in God. And in 
the present dispensation we acquire with faith in God also faith 
in Christ, since both, the knowledge of God and the plan of salva¬ 
tion through Christ, are now preached at the same time. Re¬ 
pentance toward God, the true repentance which is perfect love to 
keep all of God’s commandments, is of the highest importance. If 
we should not keep God’s commandments our baptism would be 
vain. The suffering of Christ and our being baptized in him was 
made necessary because we have broken God’s law. If there had 
been no transgression of the law there would have been no neces¬ 
sity for Christ to come; and no faith in Christ nor baptism would 
be required. Yet, in that case the law of God would still have been 
the same. For as soon as we would injure our neighbor, or have 
envy, or take the Lord’s Name in vain, or break the Sabbath, or 
transgress any commandment, we should be sinners. The apostle 

gospel in the Hebrew idiom, then the peculiarity of the above men¬ 
tioned sentence in Matt. 21:32 may have been the result of its trans¬ 
lation into the Greek, because parallels in speech, while customary 
among Hebrews, were not customary with the Greeks. 



292 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. XXII. 


Paul did therefore in his time not preach first Faith in the Lord 
Jesus and then Repentance toward God. But he preached first 
Repentance toward God because men had broken God’s command¬ 
ments, and then Faith in the Lord Jesus as our redeemer. Now 
Repentance toward God can come only after Faith in God and 
knowledge of His righteous law. Therefore the keeping of God’s 
commandments is of first importance, and the covenant of faith 
in Christ was only added because of the transgression of the fun¬ 
damental law. Nothing could please the adversary of God better 
than the doctrine The Law was abolished. The new law of faith 
in Christ is not the end of the fundamental law, or the ten com¬ 
mandments, but, during the present dispensation it is the end of 
the law of works (Rom. 3:27), the end of the ordinances of that 
covenant which the Lord through Moses had added to His im¬ 
mutable law. Paul therefore says, v. 31, “Do we make void the 
law through faith? God forbid. We establish the law.” He 
never said, By faith alone are ye saved, but “By faith are ye 
saved.” We are saved through the law of faith. In the law of 
faith faith is the first step toward salvation. The second in that 
law is Repentance toward God, and our desire to keep His com¬ 
mandments in the future. Through Christ we are saved from our 
past sins if we are new creatures in the liberty of sons of God who 
voluntarily keep God’s commandments and delight in keeping them. 
As sons of God we do not willingly sin, and therefore we have ac¬ 
cess to the throne of grace when overtaken by faults. 

We learned from Christ’s teaching the necessity of the preach¬ 
ing of his death and resurrection. For the testimony that he 
died for our sins and rose again from the dead produces faith 
toward him. The death and resurrection of Christ constitute the 
first part, or God’s part, in the work of saving the sinner from 
eternal death. God gave His only begotten Son to suffer and die 
for sin; and He raised him from the dead. When a man has 
gained this knowledge of God’s love by the unrefutable testimony 
that is presented to him, then he is to take hold and do his own 
part of the things necessary to procure his entrance into the Church 
of Christ, namely 1) Repentance, 2) Confession and 3) Burial in 
Baptism which is a likeness of death to sin and of the resurrection 
to a new life, the same as Christ rose from the. dead. For the be¬ 
liever’s rising out of the water (Acts 8:38, 39) is in likeness of the 
resurrection of Christ from the dead (Rom. 6:3, 4) and an out- 


The W'ay into the Kingdom of God. 


293 


ward or public sign of obedience and of the spiritual resurrection 
(from sin). The first act, which is true repentance toward 
God, is the most important act of the sinner; it is the sin¬ 
ner’s first good work in the sight of God. It is an abhorrence of 
6in, a sorrow for having broken God’s law, and a thorough convic¬ 
tion that there is life and joy in the keeping of God’s command¬ 
ments. This true repentance prompts the sinner to repair, if the 
means are in his power, every wrong that he has done, and to be 
baptized, and offer himself up to God with all his strength to serve 
God Who first loved him.* 


* Consecration is the door into the Church of Jesus Christ. This 
is one of the most important subjects connected with the plan of sal¬ 
vation and yet one of the least understood. Consecration means the 
dedication of ourselves to something. Some people consecrate them¬ 
selves to money; some to their country, some to benevolent work, some 
to temperance work and so forth. A consecration to the service of 
humanity is far better than a consecration to self, and almost any 
consecration is better than going through life without an aim, merely 
drifting. But a consecration to God is better than either. We have 
the example of the right consecration in the consecration of our 
Savior. At his baptism he did not consecrate himself to any special 
part of the work; but he said. Behold I come to do Thy will, 0 God. 
And this is the proper form of consecration, “I come to do Thy will, 
O God! Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” A man who is thus 
consecrated to the will of God, whatever that may be, is begotten of 
the Spirit of God, and he keeps God’s commandments, because it is 
God’s will that he should do so. He will spread the gospel because it 
is God’s will that he should do so. Paul wrote to the saints at Rome, 
I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your 
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reason¬ 
able service. Rom. 12:1. There is yet in this conescration this: that 
you must die to the human will and take upon you that same will 
which is in Christ Jesus. And furthermore you must die to the 
human nature. You must lay your human nature on the altar of sac¬ 
rifice, and it must be reckoned dead. And we are promised the divine 
nature as a reward for the sacrifice of our human nature. But, as it 
was a crime in the Jewish dispensation to sacrifice an imperfect ani¬ 
mal, even so now God will not accept an imperfect sacrifice. But first 
we must be justified by faith in Christ, and after thus being recognized 
as perfect then we may lay this our reckondly perfect human nature 
on the altar of sacrifice which entitles us to the divine nature i if we 
continue so to live as to make our calling and election sure. A per¬ 
son consecrated with this entire consecration to God is a fit subject 
to baptism, and not before having thus consecrated himself. And 
the baptism should be such as will symbolize this consecration, 
namely a burial in water and a resurrection therefrom.—-A. Raleigh.” 



294 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXII. 


The stepping stones to salvation are therefore these: 1) the 
Death and 2) the Resurrection of Christ, 3) Faith, 4) Repentance, 
5) Confession and 6) Baptism which represents the burial of the 
old man of sin and the rising of the new creature who keeps the 
commandments of God. The first two of the said works God has 
done Himself for the sinner; for He gave His first begotten son 
to suffer and to die as the sacrificial lamb for a ransom from death.* 
Further, God preserved the testimony of the truth of these things 
and by His servants gave it to the sinner. This testimony opens 
the sinne.r’is eyes and leads him to the third, that is Faith. Faith 
then prompts the sinner to Repentance which is the fourth step¬ 
ping-stone to salvation; then he will confess Christ’s name as the 
only name given unto men by which they may be saved. And 
then 6) he will be Baptized in Christ Jesus: following him and 
keeping God’s commandments. Upon this follows 7) the gift of 
God; namely Salvation from death and an eternal inheritance. 
God is the beginner and also the finisher of this work. The wages 
of sin is death; but eternal life is the gift of God by means of 
the blood of Christ Jesus our Lord. 

To this agree the testimonies of the apostles. Peter was 
chosen as the first one to preach the full gospel after Christ’s 
resurrection. After his own testimony concerning Christ’s death 
and resurrection and his reference to the testimony of the rest of 
the apsotles and that of the old prophets and having also appealed 
to the knowledge of the Jews themselves in his address on Pentecost 
about three thousand confessed their faith in Jesus as being the 
Christ; and they asked the apostles, Men, dear brethren, what shall 
we do? Peter answered and said: Repent and be baptized in the 
name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins (Acts 2:38). 
In this we see that Peter connects baptism with repentance. Thus 
his teaching agrees with Christ’s and John’s teaching which we 
have shown first. 

Now Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, says in Rom. 6:3, 6, 
“All we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his 
death. We were buried therefore with him through baptism into 

* Those false prophets who decry God as a tyrant for having 
Christ to die should know that God is holy and righteous, that there¬ 
fore He cannot forgive sin in any other manner, nor that he can pay 
the penalty Himself but that it could only be done by a just substitute. 
See Ch. XXIII. 



The Way into the Kingdom of God. 


295 


death, knowing this that our old man was crucified with him that 
the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer 
be in bondage to sin (v. 7); for he that.hath died is justified from 
sin.” Thus we see Paul teaches “baptism into death that the body 
of sin might be done away.” For by true repentance unto life man 
dies to sin. This death is symbolized by the baptism in water. Bap¬ 
tism is a figure of a burial; and the rising out of the water is a 
figure of the resurrection from death and sin. Sprinkling is noth¬ 
ing of the kind. An innocent child can not die to sin because it is 
innocent and has no sin. The little children are already saved.* 
The Lord says: Ye shall no longer use this proverb in Israel, The 
fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on 
edge. Thus says the Lord (Ez. eh. 18 and ch. 33) : “The soul 
that sinneth it shall die. The son shall not die for the trans¬ 
gression of the father, nor shall the father die for the transgres¬ 
sion of the son.” By teaching the death in baptism Paul connects 
baptism with repentance, the same as John and Christ and Peter 
had taught. We know that the natural death of the sinner does 
not make him worthy to partake of the great promises of God. 
We understand, therefore, that it is the death to sin that is shown 
forth in baptism, which in God’s sight fully justifies the repentant 
sinner who believes in Christ Jesus In the 17th verse Paul says: 
“Ye became obedient from the heart to that form of doctrine which 
was delivered unto you, and having been made free from sin, ye 
became servants of righteousness.” (For thenceforth the new man 
after Christ delights to walk after all the commandments of God, 
even as Christ walked, 1 John 2;6). Through Christ “God is the 
Saviour of all men, especially of them that believe,” 1 Tim. 4:10. 
This passage shows us again, that there is a special salvation of¬ 
fered them that fight and suffer for righteousness during the pres¬ 
ent dispensation of grace. These shall have a right to enter into the 
city of God and shall inherit all things. 

The above shows that men are made free from sin by obeying 
the true form of teaching. They first have to know and believe in 

* However, infants cannot attain the highest grade in the king¬ 
dom of God: even as there will be no crown without striving for it. 
Men will receive special good or special tribulation according to their 
works. For God is no respecter of persons. Therefore Jesus says, 
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit in my throne, even as 
I also overcome and . . .” 



296 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXII. 


this form of doctrine, or they could not obey it from the heart. 
Our faith is made perfect through, obedience, as Abraham’s was by 
his willingness to offer up his son to God (and it was counted to 
him for righteousness). James says, 2:24, “Ye see that by works 
a man is justified and not by faith only.” The repentant sinner 
would be willing (not only to be immersed in water, but) even to 
wallow in the mud, if the Lord had commanded him to do it. 

The sinner can not fully manifest faith and obedience with¬ 
out baptism. We see from all the teaching of the apostles that the 
first thing for the repentant believer to do is to confess Christ and 
be baptized. If we could make it appear (as some try to do) that 
Paul taught the doctrine that salvation comes by faith alone* be¬ 
fore baptism, we still would have three witnesses against it, namely 
John, Christ and Peter: for they all taught that baptism comes 
before remission. The Scripture shows the way so plainly that 
none can err. But concerning them that did not know the will 
of God perfectly, and could not hear the full truth, hut followed it 
as far as they knew, we need not worry ourselves. God does not 
look upon the ignorant as upon rebellion. Be it far from us to 
share the tribuation of them who knew His will and do it not. 
Every one shall receive according to his works. There is a special 
salvation, a high calling to the Divine nature for the elect over¬ 
comers, that are gathered out of all nations during the present dis¬ 
pensation of the covenant of faith; and there is a common salva¬ 
tion for others. But for the wicked, that are not converted during 
the present dispensation, there is to come a time of tribulation. 

Jesus said (John 6:44), “No man can come to me except the 
Father, Who sent me, draw him.” The Father does not draw 
them that have no desire to walk in His commandments. And no 
man that persistently acts contrary to the law of God can be saved 
from judgment and tribulation although he may profess to believe 
in Christ. Such faith is dead; James 2:20-26. Many will expect 
to be saved to whom Jesus will declare in that day “I know you not, 
ye workers of iniquity.” Some preach to rebellious sinners the same 
sermon that Peter preached to Cornelius, not duly noticing that 

* We have seen in Ch. XIX that Paul called the law of faith 
(Rom. 3:27) often only “Faith,” as when he said, By faith are ye 
saved (instead of saying, By the law of faith are ye saved). And 
likewise he often called the law of works or the sacrificial law, that 
was added to the fundamental law through Moses, simply “The Law.” 



The Way into the Kingdom of God. 


297 


Cornelius was a devout man that sought the Lord with all his 
heart, and that it was for this reason that Peter was sent to preach 
to him only the glad tidings of the salvation in Christ. People 
can not be saved through a so-called faith in Christ alone which 
is without true repentance toward God and does not delight in ful¬ 
filling His commandments, and bears no fruit. Cornelius was not 
that kind of a man. No one is a fit subject for baptism that does 
not delight in God’s commandments and does not realize the cost 
of Christ’s sacrifice and the full reason for it. Only the preaching 
of the faith in Jesus was yet necessary to Cornelius and the Eunuch 
of Aethiopia, because they already loved God and kept His com¬ 
mandments. There are, however, not many like them that need 
only the knowledge of salvation which God offered through Christ. 
Therefore none should preach Peter’s sermon to Cornelius with¬ 
out showing the people first that they must keep God’s command¬ 
ments. We are admonished to divide the Scripture correctly, and 
to do like a good householder that gives the right kind of meat in 
due season. A faith that does not produce good works is not the 
saving faith. The Christian is God’s workmanship, begotten of 
God, to do good works. We are not only to have faith in Christ 
whose blood saved us from our past sins, but also the faith of 
Jesus (Rev. 14:12), namely the faith that always reveals itself 
publicly and in secret by obedience to the law of God through love 
toward God and our fellowmen. 

After the foregoing testimonies it seems almost useless to say 
anything further concerning the sprinkling of innocent children.* 
Jesus says, we must become like little children to be able to enter 
into the kingdom of God. Implicit trust and obedience is re¬ 
quired. Baptism therefore pertains only to the penitent sinner 
who voluntarily demands it. Many ministers of children sprink¬ 
ling churches asked those who were baptized this question: Could 
you not have lived in our church as good a Christian as now? 
And the answer was always in substance like this: “I did not feel 
like a Christian before I was baptized,” etc. This is it. We shall 
come out of Babylon and not hold to human doctrines, but only 

* Infant baptism was first introduced in North Africa (already 
in the third century) and became general after the fall of the Arian 
kingdoms in the sixth century. 



298 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXII . 


to the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.* 

Whose duty is it to administer baptism? Some say, Only 
those that are ordained by their certain denomination. It is cer¬ 
tainly correct that church communities should choose from their 
members for ministers and deacons those that are the most tal¬ 
ented and in their estimation the most worthy, in order that all 
divine ministrations may be done in the best possible way. No 
congregation desires for a preacher one that is not able to preach, 
no matter how honorable he may be. However, there is no special 
priesthood under the new covenant, and every Christian is a 
worker in some way, according to the talents which God bestowed 
on him, be it to teach or exhort, or lead in singing, or to preach, 
etc. In case of necessity it becomes the duty of any Christian to 
baptize repentant believers. In the old writings, as for example in 
Tertullian (toward the end of the second century) we find that 
there were no objections to this. Furthermore, many an ordained 
minister was not a good Christian and yet has administered bap¬ 
tism. Many that were ordained by congregations proved them¬ 
selves reprobates; but this did not make void the ordinance for 
the believer who received it in faith a» a sign of his death to sin and 
his resurrection to a new life in Christ, as God had ordained it. 
Appollos was not appointed by any of the disciples of Christ; nev¬ 
ertheless there was no controversy that he should not baptize. The 
fault to be remedied lay only in his not being acquainted with the 
correct form of baptism. For he at first knew only the baptism of 
John the Baptist and had not baptized in the name of Christ. 
Nevertheless the disciples did not stop him from baptizing, but 
taught him the right mode of the ordinance in full for the future. 
See Acts ch. 18. Paul himself said, that his own special mission 
froip the Lord was not to baptize, but to preach the gospel to the 
Gentiles. Nevertheless, whenever it became necessary, Paul bap¬ 
tized also. Neither did Jesus stop a certain man that preached, 

* Since the universal introduction of manmade doctrines and the 
disappearance of the true church from public view, it is certain that 
the gre^t gifts of the holy spirit that used to distinguish the children 
of God from the world, were no longer seen. Probably those gifts 
ceased already with the gathering of the last remnant of the 144,000. 
For only the primitive Hebrew Christians kept all the commandments- 
of God save only the sacrificial laws of the old covenant. Undoubt¬ 
edly the great spiritual gifts were given to them only that taught 
and kept all of God’s commandments. 



The Way into the Kingdom of God. 


299 


although he had not ordained him. The Scripture teaches that 
it is God that calls men and sets them in the Church for certain 
works. 

It is not for us to judge any man. We believe God receives every 
one who repents of his sins and is baptized and obeys God’s com¬ 
mandments as far as he knows and understands them, and is willing 
to learn of Christ, and so increases in faith and knowledge and love 
and obedience. There have been many Christians who unknowingly 
kept man-instituted Sunday, thinking they kept the Lord’s day. The 
reader is certainly not in darkness as to what day the Sabbath day 
of the Lord our God is. He has the testimony that the keeping of 
the Sabbath is a mark or sign of those who walk in the light of God’s 
word. The Revelation of Jesus tells us that this sign is twofold, 
namely in the mind and in the body,. Rev. 13:16,17. The command¬ 
ment‘says, Remember the Sabbath: this is spiritual, in the forehead, 
in the mind; and secondly. Do not labor on it: this is physical, with 
your hand, or your servant’s hands, or your cattle. And here we 
repeat again, that Jesus said, “Not every one that says to me Lord, 
Lord, will enter into the kingdom, but he that does the will of my 
Father which is in heaven,’’ and that he exhorted his disciples that 
their flight out of Jerusalem (which was 37 years after his ascension) 
should not fall on the Sabbath day. The reader also knows, that the 
ten commandments constitute the immutable law of God, which was 
from the beginning, before there were any sacrificial laws and cove¬ 
nants. The Scripture did show us that the sacrificial covenants 
were added because of the transgression of the ten commandments, 
the Mosaic 430 years after Abraham, and the present later on through 
Christ, and that as the ten commandments are the fundamental law 
of God, they alone were laid inside the ark of the testimony, while 
the other laws and covenants were laid outside: showing that the ten 
commandments are the basis and consideration for all other laws 
and covenants. Further, in Ch. VII of this book is the exegesis of 
Rev. ch. 13; and there is the testimony that the chief mark, or public 
sign, of the beast is the profanation of the Sabbath of the Lord, and 
that this sign is twofold, namely (1) in the forehead or in the mind, 
and (2) in the right hand, because the right hand is the main instru¬ 
ment of bodily labor. The great public sign of rebellion is, that the 
day that was hallowed by the Creator is not hallowed, but is profaned 
also by manual work. Dear reader, now—and for reason of the doc¬ 
trine of apostolic succession we have repeated this—Can you believe 
that Jesus or any one of his apostles, would have ordained any one 
to baptize that did not regard the Lord’s day, but did commit forni¬ 
cation with the worldly powers by keeping their day which they used 
to keep in the old pagan times for sun worship. It is the day which 
they yet enforce by their laws; and on that account the Roman church 
abolished the Sabbath and brought up the fable that Christ had 
done it. 


300 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 

It is certainly true that those who keep not God’s commandments 
can have no claim to apostolic succession. The doctrine of the Ho- 
moousion in the Trinity, and consequently that Christ and church 
synods, have authority to abrogate the Father’s commandments is a 
greater error than infant sprinkling. It is the greatest of all heresies 
and the prop for all the idolatries of the Roman church and her 
daughters - God is holy and righteous and immutable. The Scripture 
teaches therefore that there must be either retribution in time to 
come, or a ransom, a substitute, that it is impossible for God to pardon 
sin without. Therefore, if Christ was God Himself, in that extreme 
sense as some teach, how could there have been a redemption? 


Chapter XXIII. 

Was Christ’s Blood the Unavoidable Sacrifice for Our Sins? 
Also Concerning “Water Baptism,” Etc. 

It seems strange that any one who reads the Bible should 
think that Christ’s sacrifice was not necessary. But since there 
are apparently honest, but deluded people, that think it was not 
necessary that Christ should have died for our sins, let them con¬ 
sider the following: 

First, that the letters of Paul and other Scriptures show that 
Christ died on the cross in obedience to the Father’s will; that the 
old sacrifices of animals were types and shadows until Christ shed 
his blood. Further, that Jesus himself testified concerning this, 
saying, that he had power to give his life or keep it; but that he 
delighted to do the will of the Father, and that he came for that 
purpose. Before his suffering he prayed, bathed in bloody sweat, 
that the Father would take, if it were possible, the cup of bitter¬ 
ness from him, but that nevertheless not his, but the Father’s will 
might be done. The Scripture testifies that he was obedient unto 
death, yea, unto the death on the cross. There was no other way 
but that the innocent should take upon him the sins of the guilty 
who repented and turned from their wickedness, in order that 
justice be fulfilled. For the wages of sin is death. No man 
could have been saved in any other way than through Christ: for 
God does not pardon iniquity; it must be atoned for. As under 
the old covenant the sinner did not receive full pardon even after 
lie had made restitution to his neighbor whom he had injured, but 
was required to bring his sacrifice to the Lord for his sin before it 



The Value of Jesus' Blood. 


301 


was pardoned, so it is yet. This doctrine of the cross was, as the 
apostle says, a stumbling block to many, a derision and foolishness. 
But in the pure eyes of God it is right. And He is not only 
righteous but also full of mercy and kindness. He is more willing 
to pardon His enemies than men are to pardon theirs. In His 
love He gave His Son in order that through his blood all who 
would believe in him and repent and torn from their evil ways 
should have everlasting life. Let us read in the 53d chapter of 
Isaiah the prophecy concerning the suffering of Christ. We take 
Rabbi LeeseFs translation and read, v. 3: “He was despised and 
shunned by men; a man of pains and acquainted with disease; 
and as one who hid his face from us was he despised, and we 
esteemed him not. But only our disease did he bear himself, and 
our pains he carried: while we indeed esteemed him stricken, 
smitten of God, and afflicted.* Yet he was wounded for our 
transgression, he was bruised.for our iniquities; the chastisement 
of our peace was upon him and through his wounds was healing 
granted to us.' We all like sheep went astray every one to his way 
did we turn; and the Lord let befall him the guilt of us all. He 
was oppressed. . . . But the Lord was pleased to crush him throu gh 
disease: when his soul has brought the trespass offering, then shall 
he see his seed, live many daysf and the pleasure of the Lord 
shall prosper in his hand . . . because he poured out his 

soul unto death, and with transgressors was he numbered: while 
he bore the sins of many, and for transgressors he let evil befall 
him.” Thus we see that Christ let all his sufferings befall him of 
his own will, because it pleased the Father that thereby and through 
faith in him many should be saved, t 

Yet another point must he answered: The remark has been 
made, How can the saints wash their robes with blood? Answer: 

* The Jews thought that Jesus suffered for his own sins. 

f In the common English and French translations we read in v. 
3 respectively: “grief” and “langueur” instead of “disease,” and in 
v. 10 “He shall prolong his days” instead of “. . . live many days.” 

X It is astonishing how Jews can read the above and many other 
prophecies in the Old Testament concerning Christ and yet not 
believe. The veil, as Paul says, covers yet their eyes, and they shall 
not see until the fulness of the heathen shall first have come in (Rom. 
11:25-32). When all the members of the bridecompany shall have 
been gathered and Christ comes and takes his kingdom, then shall 
they see and acknowledge him, and say: “Blessed is he that comes 
in the Name of the Lord,” Zech. 12:10, etc. 



302 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXIII. 

Not robes of cloth but of character. Sins are stains that are not 
washed away with soap and water. Therefore Aaron also made 
the atonement and cleansing by the sprinkling of the blood of the 
sacrifice. The transgression of the law of God brings death, it re¬ 
quires the shedding of blood. “The wages of sin is death” and “the 
life of the flesh is in the blood thereof,” Gen. 9:4, Lev. 17, etc. 
“The soul that sinneth it shall die.” Therefore it was necessary 
that Jesus, the Just, should die for the unjust. 

Arguments and objections almost too absurd to be answered 
are constantly made against the plan of salvation. The sinner for¬ 
feited his life; therefore the blood of the sacrifice under the old 
covenant pointed to Christ who shed his blood and died for the 
salvation of man. God did not accept Cain’s unsuitable offering of 
the fruits of the earth (without blood) for a sin-offering (a sin- 
offering is not a thank-offering) ; but He had respect to the sacri¬ 
fice of Abel who brought it from the flocks. 

Further, the question is asked. Why did God institute the 
old sacrificial laws and afterwards abolish them? Answering, we 
refer to Chapter XIX, where it is proven by the testimony of the 
Scripture that during the millennium the same sacrificial laws 
which were given by Moses shall be observed. They are then no 
longer imperfect as they were before. They will be perfect: be¬ 
cause they then point no longer to something that is yet in the 
future, but they will point back to an accomplished fact, namely 
the blood of Christ which was shed. In the millennium Christ is 
king. The covenant of faith is then ended. The ceremonial law 
of works will therefore then be necessary: for men live then by 
sight, not by faith. 

Further, the remark is made that God Himself called those 
sacrifices An abomination in His sight. This is true, but with 
an important qualification. We must know for what reason and 
of whom He did say this, namely that He spake of the offerings 
of the wicked, the impenitent and the self-righteous. The offer¬ 
ings and prayers of the repentant were always acceptable to God, 
like the precious ointment of Mary was to Jesus. But the offer¬ 
ings of the unregenerate are an abomination. Jesus says, Leave 
thy offering, first go and be reconciled with thy brother, and then 
come and offer thy gift. When God shall have poured out His 
Spirit upon the house of Judah and Israel and they shall have 
turned to the Lord, then shall their sacrifices and thank-offerings 


Remarks on Water-Baptism . 


303 


again be acceptable to Him. Gen. 4:4-7; Isa. 56:6, 7, 8; Ez. 20:40, 
41; etc. Any transgression of God’s law, though it be only through 
mistake or accident is sin. That therefore sacrificial ordinances 
pointing back to Christ’s sacrifice will yet be necessary and re¬ 
quired during the millennium ought to be evident even to those that 
are not Bible students. See Lev. ch. 4, etc. 

Water-baptism would avail nothing if a man should continue 
thereafter in his old sins and should not first have cast off the old 
carnal man, and should not make restitution as soon as possible, 
if he ever had defrauded his neighbor. In baptism the newly con¬ 
verted also confesses Christ publicly. Baptism is a sign, that a& 
the repentant believer rises out of the water in likeness of Christ’s 
rising from the grave, so he is risen to a new life and is hence¬ 
forth a new creature, having laid off the old man with his evil 
deeds. 

Some have objected to water-baptism on the ground that 
Jesus never mentioned water with baptism. Therefore they thought 
that water baptism is unnecessary, and that Christ spake only of 
the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the baptism of fire (the latter 
signifying his divine doctrine and sometimes overwhelming trib¬ 
ulations). But every Bible reader knows that the apostles bap¬ 
tized with water, and that they taugt it and certainly knew that it 
was right. And John the Baptist testifies that he was sent of God 
to baptize with water; for he said (John 1:32, 33) : “I saw the 
Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon Jesus. 
And I knew him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, 
the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit de¬ 
scending and remaining on him, the same is he that baptizeth with 
the Holy Ghost.” This proves that God sent John to baptize with 
water (John 1:6); and the Scripture says that the baptism of John 
was the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And when Apollos 
baptized with this baptism of John, his mistake was not that he 
used water, but that he had not baptized in the name of Christ; 
Acts ch. 18 and ch. 19. Now therefore it is plain that there are 
different baptisms: the baptism of suffering, that of Divine doc¬ 
trine, that of water in token of the washing away of sins through 
Christ and of the resurrection to a new life, and the baptism of 
the holy Ghost. The first two are also called Baptisms of fire. But 
the baptism of the holy ghost was, as a rule, not received until after 
the baptism with water. Only in one known instance was it given 


304 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXIII. 


before water-baptism, namely to Cornelius and his household; and 
that was for the purpose of convincing the apostles that God calls 
a people also out of the Gentiles, and that the Gospel was to be 
preached to them also. But the great rule was declared by Peter to 
the Jews on Pentecost, namely: “Repent and be baptized every 
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, 
and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost.” Not until they hrst 
had obeyed the commandment to be baptized with water should they 
receive pardon for their sins and the baptism of the holy Ghost. 
Notice further, that after the holy Ghost had fallen on Peter’s 
hearers in the house of Cornelius (to convince Peter fully con¬ 
cerning the mind of the Lord in regard to the Gentiles) Peter nev¬ 
ertheless commanded that they should yet be baptized with water 
(see Acts 11:45-48, etc.). Therefore even they who had received 
the holy Ghost needed yet to be baptized with water to fulfill all 
righteousness, Matth. 3:13-15. And although the twelve men at 
Ephesus had believed, they did not receive the gift of the holy Spirit 
until they were baptized into Christ, 

We see, therefore, that we cannot take Paul’s w r ords to the 
Ephesians that there is “one baptism” as to mean, without quali¬ 
fication, that there is now but one baptism. As many an English 
word can be applied in various ways, so it is with the Greek word 
Baptize. It can have the meaning of “pouring out” as for ex. by 
the baptism of the Spirit, Acts 2, and also of “surrounding,” for 
example as when the Israelites were surrounded by the cloud and 
the waters of the Red Sea, 1 Cor. 10:2; or, of “being plunged in,£’ 
or “overwhelmed with,” as for example being overwhelmed with 
tribulation, Matth. 20:22, 23, or overwhelmed with conviction 
through the word of God. What baptism is it then that Paul speaks 
of in Eph. ch. 4? It is no other but the water baptism required 
by the law of faith. For the baptism of repentance unto the re¬ 
mission of sins is administered in the name of Jesus through im¬ 
mersion in water: and Paul had mentioned Faith immediately be¬ 
fore it. As Faith precedes Baptism and as the “one” faith of which 
Paul speaks in the same passage is the faith in Jesus, so is that “one 
baptism” the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins 
through Jesus upon which the baptism of the holy Ghost is prom¬ 
ised to follow. 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths . 


305 


Chapter XXIV. 

Concerning True and False Prophets. 

The sign of a true prophet, or divine teacher, did not .consist 
in this only that his dreams and predictions were fulfilled, and 
that he could give some wonderful signs: “For the Lord your God 
proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God and fear 
Him and keep His commandments, and obey His voice. And ye 
shall serve Him and cleave unto Him.” Deut. 13 :3, 4. For some¬ 
times the predictions of false prophets have been fulfilled, and won- 
derful^ signs are claimed for them by their followers. Therefore the 
Lord warns us, Not to put our confidence only in such signs. The 
chief sign of a true prophet is that his teaching is in perfect har¬ 
mony with the word of God and the commandments of God. Isa. 
8 :20. And then, if the prophet also foretells future things, his 
predictions must also come to pass. A prophet of God is simply a 
deliverer of God’s word. It follows not that a prophet is always a 
person that foretells future things. 

Some think that Elijah and John the Baptist were identically 
the same, and, that Elijah is also to come vet before the second 
coming of Christ, or that he has lately come; and further, that 
the refiner of silver spoken of in the prophecy of Malachi is John 
But the evident connection between the fifth seal and Rev. ch. T 
and Matth. 24:1-29 and Rev. 3:5, 9, 12, 18, 21 proves, in harmony 
with the History of the primitive church, that up to the year 313 
the 144,000 elect were gathered, and that they shall rule with Jesus 
when he returns to receive his kingdom, and that therefore the re¬ 
finer spoken of in Mai. 3:2, 3, 16, IT, 18 is not John, but Christ 
who gathered in those days his elect that shall reign with him, 
namely, those that kept all the commandments of God* and were 
fellow-sufferers in the afflictions of Christ, the members of the 
bridgegroom whose head is Jesus. He gathered them to himself 
in heavenly mansions and when he comes into his kingdom he shall 
bring them with him, 1 Thess. 3:13; Zech. 14:5; and they shall 
reign with him on the earth and judge the living and sit on the 
twelve thrones of Israel, Matth. 19:28, etc. And when the thou¬ 
sand years are over then comes the time for the resurrection of the 

* See Ch. XIX and Intpret. of Rev. 12:5 in Ch. IV. 



306 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXIV . 

dead. Then shall the saints be called together to judge with Christ 
also them that were dead. 

Some have lately taught the doctrine of a general and contin¬ 
uous incarnation. But we find not the least intimation of this in 
the Bible. The angel of the Lord said of John the Baptist that 
he should go before Christ in the spirit and power of Elijah. Luke 
1:17. The name Elijah was therefore used for John the same as a 
great man is called A Star, as a kingdom is called Mountain, etc.* 
John himself testified that only Christ came from above and that 
Christ alone has seen the Father, John 3:30-32; 1:18. We know 
of no other heavenly being that was born an infant, but Christ who 
is Michael, the archangel, as the Scripture proves. It is the per¬ 
nicious doctrine of the Homoousion that has blinded men against 
this truth. Christ was the angel in the wilderness, Acts 7:38, that 
led Israel out of Egypt, that stood for the nation of Israel, that 
descended and ascended and gave gifts to men. By him God created 
the world; and He foreordained that he should come in the flesh to 
bear our sins and the death to which we were doomed, and that 
through repentance and faith in him we should be redeemed from 
the consequences of our past sins; and that as we were baptized 
in the likeness of his death and resurrection and have died as to 
our former walk in the flesh and have risen to a new life in which 
we imitate the life of Jesus and live no longer in sin but keep the 
commandments of God we should inherit the right to enter into the 
city and to the tree of life, that we may give of its leaves to the 
nations for their healing, and that we attain an incorruptible glory 
and inheritance even as Christ through obedience attained the high¬ 
est glory, Phil. 2:8, 9. 

We may differ in regard to the final fate of those who die in 
ignorance, as the heathen, and also in regard of those who die in 
wilful rebellion against God. But no reader of God’s word can 
be ignorant of this, that only through Jesus was the power of 
death overcome and life and immoratlity brought to light, 2 Tim. 
1:10. Jesus said, “I am the living bread which came down from 


* John was a Nazirite like Elijah. Our word Represent is not 
found in the Bible. The words of Jesus “This (bread) is my body” 
are the same as “This (bread) represents my body.” In Rev. 17:15 
we read: “The waters that thou sawest are nations and tongues,” 
that is: they represent nations and tongues. There are yet in our day 
many dialects that use the verb “to be” for “to represent.” 



Concerning True and False Prophets. 


307 


heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. . . . 

Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, ye 
have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood 
hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 
6:53-58.) Jesus said, his meat was to do the will of God, and that 
man lives by the word of God which he brought to us. In him 
that came down from heaven was the word of promise fulfilled. 
Everyone that hears and obeys him shall be saved. 

Paul says. This corruptible shall put on incorruption and 
death shall be swallowed up in victory, 1 Cor. 15:54. Those cf 
whom, according to Matth. 16:28, Jesus said, that they should not 
see death until they should see the son of man come in his kingdom* 

* Matt. 16:24-28 and Mark 8:34 to 9:1 record this discourse of 
which some think it referred to the transfiguration. However, it does 
not On account of the great brevity of the records of the ministry of 
Christ it was unavoidable that the event of the transfiguration was 
recorded immediately after the said discourse. There elapsed only 
six days between the said discourse and the transfiguration, and the 
whole ministry of Christ which covered a space of three and a half 
years is briefly given in but a few chapters. Notice further, that Jesus 
in Matt. 16:27 was speaking of his coming into his kingdom with the 
holy angels, and of his rewarding every man according to his works, 
that therefore he referred to his second advent, his coming into his 
kingdom, and not his transfiguration on the mount. Nor must we 
forget that the wages of sin is death, and that only he that is in 
Christ Jesus “shall never die/’ John 11:26. All those that are not in 
Christ, die and “know not anything’’ until the general resurrection. 
(We shall presently show that Christ’s discourse on the Rich Man 
and Lazarus was a prophetic parable.) We who are in Christ do not 
die in like manner as sinners: only our bodies see corruption. Life 
is already given them that are in Christ Jesus, and they shall go to 
Jesus and be before the throne of God. There is no testimony to 
show that God postpones to give life to them that are in Jesus. We 
have this testimony, that he that is in Christ does not taste death, 
but shall see the glory of Christ which he had with the Father. See 
John 17:24; Rev. ch. 7 and other Scripture. The innumerable com¬ 
pany of the redeemed shall partake of that glory until the earth is 
restored to Edenic beauty for their final home, Rev. ch. 21. But as to 
the man that lives in unbelief and without the true knowledge, though 
he may belong to the great ones of the earth, the Scripture says, he 
shall die like the beast that perishes; see Eccl. and Ps. 49. When 
the wicked dies he shall not live again until the general resurrec¬ 
tion and judgment, Rev. ch. 20. His thoughts perish, Ps. 146:4. Jesus 
taught that those who are in him shall not taste death like the unbe- 



308 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch . XXIV. 


were such of his hearers that through faith in him did become par¬ 
takers of eternal life. They, being moreover of Israelis seed, be¬ 
came members of the 144,000, the members of the spiritual body 
of Christ whose head is Jesus. They should not taste death until 
he should come in his kingdom. They should no more come in con¬ 
tact with death, or, experience death, until the second advent of 
Jesus. For the word geuomai (taste) has in the Greek also the sense 
of experience, as in 1 Pe. 2:3, etc. They should be removed from 
the scenes of sickness and death on this woestricken earth and dwell 
before the throne of God (John 17:21; Rev. 12:5, etc.) until the 
millennium, when they shall reign with Christ on the earth (Rev. 
5:10; ch. 21). Then again shall they see men dying. For during 
the millennium, the wicked shall suffer and the incorrigible shall 
perish; Ps. 2; Isa. 66:20; Rev. 20:8. Then shall it be as in the 
time of David, under the old covenant which was a covenant of 
fleshly and temporal blessings, Ps. 37:25; the righteous shall pros¬ 
per and the wicked shall fail. (The millennium comes before the 
general resurrection and judgment. It is the first of the coming 
ages of restitution.) 


lieving multitudes. While the body of Jesus lay in the tomb his spirit 
was with God. The thief on the cross, when he repented and prayed 
Jesus to remember him when he should come in his kingdom undoubt¬ 
edly thought on the resurrection and the setting up of Christ’s king¬ 
dom on the earth according to the preaching of Christ and the teach¬ 
ing of the prophets. But Jesus, answering him, did not say that he 
would have to wait and be unconscious until he should return to take 
his kingdom, but that even that very day he should be with him in 
Paradise (that is, the place where God is). Compare Luke 23:46 
with Rev. 2:7 and 2 Cor. 12:4. The thief was undoubtedly one of 
them that were baptized of John and afterward transgressed, for the 
Scripture says, that all Judea went out to John and were baptized, 
confessing their sins. However, finally humbling himself he repented 
and confessed his sins. We must therefore regard him as a member 
of the innumerable company that came out of great tribulation and 
washed their defiled robes in the blood of the Lamb, Rev. 7:14. 

Here Brother Raleigh objects, saying: “I must disagree in regard 
to the thief on the cross. Jesus said not, Verily I say. unto thee, 
to-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise,” but: “Verily I say unto 
thee, to-day, with me thou shalt be in Paradise.” Some may think 
that both questions are the same, but they are not. In the latter 
case he would say: I tell you to-day that in some future time you 
will be with me in Paradise. Had he gone into details our Lord 
would doubtless have said, Verily I say unto thee, while I am here 



Concerning True and False Prophets 


309 


Some of the old patriarchs made dim allusions to a future life: 
the words of Job; and the angel spoke to Daniel only of a resur¬ 
rection of some; and Ezekiel’s prophecy of the dry bones was re¬ 
garded as concerning the final conversion of the nation of Israel 
and its restoration to divine favor and return into their own land. 
Nothing was known concerning it by a plain word of God until it 
was brought by Jesus, who yet, after his ascension, received from 
God the Revelation which he transmitted to John (Rev. 1:1). This 
last revelation testifies, moreover, that those who are departed in 
Christ are before the throne of God in heaven, not only the 144,000 
that shall reign as kings and priests with Christ during the mil¬ 
lennium, but also an innumerable company from all nations which 
shall descend from God out of heaven when the reign of the 144,000 
in the troublous times of the restitution is over. Rev. 11:1, 2, and 
Rev. ch. 12 and other passages prove that the 144,000 and a great 
host of the innumerable company were already in heaven before the 
sixth seal was opened. 

on the cross, disowned and despised of men, so I am branded as a 
traitor, an apostate, a hypocrite, a blasphemer, while those for whom 
I have left the heavenly courts and am come to this sin-cursed earth, 
have taken me and hanged me on this tree: even to-day I declare 
that the day will come when thou shalt be with me in Paradise.— 
Moreover, Christ’s spirit did not ascend to God. For when Mary 
Magdalene met him in the garden after his resurrection and was 
about to embrace him, he said “Touch me not, for I have not yet 
ascended to my Father.” His spirit was as much a part from him as 
his natural body was.—A. Raleigh.” 

As to Jesus’ having not yet ascended to the Father when he 
addressed Mary, it seems (to the writer) it must mean he had not 
yet bodily ascended, that therefore he desired not that any one should 
touch his body before he first had presented himself in it before the 
Father (compare Paul 2 Cor. 12:2). That he had not ascended was 
because he would first give personal proof of his resurrection, which 
was important to others also, not to Mary alone. When he arose from 
the dead his body was no longer mortal. It had put on immortality. 
He appeared therefore to his disciples when they had the doors shut. 
He could go and come the same as the angels did. It was right for 
him to ascend first to the Father and descend again before he let his 
disciples touch him. The only plausible reason to argue the entire 
unconsciousness of Jesus from, would be, that whereas Jesus died for 
sinners, and sinners, according to Scripture, are entirely unconscious 
after death until the resurrection, so might also Jesus' have been 
unconscious until the resurrection of the body; for he bore the death- 
penalty that was pronounced on man. 



310 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. XXIV. 


Indeed, if it was not for the Revelation we could not easily har¬ 
monize the words of Jesus in John 14:3 with other Scripture, Mai. 
ch. 3, etc. But Jesus has been gathering his own to himself all 
along the course of this dispensation in order that, as he said, they 
may see his glory which he had with the Father before he took on 
him the form of a servant, John 17:24; Heb. 12:23. Therefore 
Paul says, that after we have laid off our earthly house we shall 
have in heaven a house, an “age-lasting” house, not made with 
hands, 2 Cor. 5:1-4. Further he said: “I wish to depart and be 
with Christ.” When Jesus returns he shall bring his saints with 
him, namely the 144,000 that shall reign with him, Zech. 14:5, Rev. 
20:4, 1 Thess. 4:14. The innumerable company shall descend 
when that reign is over. If it was true that none had yet gone to 
heaven who then could those be that are in heaven and were blas¬ 
phemed by the beast? See Rev. 13 :6. In Ch. XIX we have shown 
by the testimonies of Revelation and History combined, who those 
in heaven are whom the beast blasphemed, namely the elect of God. 
After their departure out of this world they were yet denounced as 
heretics; and their sayings were perverted and their writings de¬ 
stroyed. Having been persecuted on the earth, the papacy blas¬ 
phemed them yet after they had gone to Jesus. 

When Jesus expired, his spirit went to God; he recommended 
it into the hands of the Father. Likewise the Spirit of Stephen 
went where Jesus is, before the throne of God. But as to Moses 
who lived before Christ, Do we know that he was raised and went 
to God, seeing he appeared later with Elijah at the transfiguration? 
Could he have risen from the dead before Christ's resurrection?* 
Let the reader study over this. 

* “What else can the 9th verse of Jude apply to? for by saying, 
“Yet Michael the archangel durst not bring against Satan a railing 
accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke thee,” it seems as though soon 
after his death Moses was raised up and given a spiritual body? But 
then Christ would not be the first fruits of the resurrection. But 
nerc is something which few have recognized: The transfiguration 
was not real; it was a vision in which Moses represented the law 
dipensation, and Elijah the gospel dispensation, see Matt. 17:9. The 
fact of the transfiguration does therefore not prove that Moses’ spirit 
had ever ascended to God. I merely understand by the “spirit return¬ 
ing to God who gave it” that it shall be in the power of God to do as 
He pleases with it, and that the life of the man is no more wholly 
and entirely in man’s power.—A. Raleigh.” 



Concerning True and False Prophets. 


311 


However, the promise is that all shall be raised, that death 
shall be conquered and the earth prepared for the dwelling place of 
all the redeemed. 

Ch. 5 in book VI of Enseb. Eccl. History shows plainly that 
the early Christians believed that the martyrs of Christ received 
immortality, that they were taken up to God’s throne, and had 
conscious existence there. We know that the early ) Christians did 
not believe in the conscious existence of the wicked, or those out 
of Christ, before the general resurrection, according to the teach¬ 
ing of the Bible. But under the third seal errors gained a foothold; 
and by the time of the fourth seal many Scriptural doctrines were 
lost among the Gentile Christians, and the platonic theory of the 
immortality of the soul became established, so that those who then 
yet taught the unconsciousness of the wicked until the general res¬ 
urrection were considered new sectarians and denied being orthodox, 
indeed not by being convicted by the Catholic council through Bib¬ 
lical proof, but (only) by the rhetoric and platonic philosophy of 
Origen. See Euseb. b. vi, ch. 37. 

Suffering came into the world through sin, and the wicked 
are bound to suffer yet when they are raised: for so does the Reve¬ 
lation teach, ch. 14:10; ch. 20. The wicked are yet the same when 
they are raised. Suffering is a great teacher, not only for the 
wicked, Isa. 26:9, but it was also for the righteous, even Jesus was 
made perfect through suffering, Heb. 2:10. God created both good 
and evil, Isa. 45:7; 54:16, in order that the children of men may 
learn wisdom, and love that which is good. The Scripture says, 
that when God’s judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the 

It is certainly significant that Peter considered the prophetic word 
more important than that vision in the mount. 2 Pet, 1:18,19. The 
writer believes that those who are in Jesus shall be with Jesus in 
heaven when they depart this life. As to the wicked it is certain that 
all there is of them is dead with them until the general resurrection; 
for the Scripture says, They know not anything. As to God’s people 
who lived before Christ we have no revelation by which we know 
whether they are now all in heaven, or whether some of them shall 
not be quickened until the general resurrection. The writer believes 
that while, according to Daniel’s prophecy and Matthew’s gospel, some 
have been raised and appeared after Christ’s resurrection, the great 
majority of them will not be raised until the general resurrection; and 
that indeed they that were first shall be last to receive life, and the 
saints under the present dispensation first. 



312 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch . XXIV. 

world will learn righteousness. That any one should think God 
will let some poor souls suffer endless torment! God instilled feel¬ 
ings of mercy into men. He commanded us also by precept to be 
merciful. Should He be less merciful than His creature? Will 
He torture any one needlessly? Already the laws of the old dis¬ 
pensation reveal the love of God. The incorrigible and all who 
deserved death met swift destruction, never any needless torture 
Also for misdemeanors not worthy of death there was no starva¬ 
tion, nor imprisonment, etc. The transgressor received his stripes, 
in no case exceeding thirt}^-nine; and he could go home and work 
for his family or his parents, that they should not suffer. If he 
wasted his neighbor’s property and could not make it good, he was 
to serve with his family till it was paid; but if the debt was so great 
that it was not worked out by the year of jubilee, the balance which 
was lacking, was to be remitted and the family received back also 
the whole of their former real estate if they had lost any of it. 
This ordinance was typical of what will happen in the times of the 
restitution, in the kingdom of Christ. Acts 3 :20, 21; Ez. 16:44-45. 

The language of similitudes and prophecy is figurative; and 
therefore it can not be taken after the letter, but must be spiritually 
understood. There is no unqualified “Thus saith the Lord” in all 
the holy Scripture to teach us that the sinner will suffer without 
end. A time is coming when there shall be no more pain, nor 
sorrow. Every evil will be destroyed. As to the word Everlasting, 
it is used in the Scripture to designate uninterrupted continuance 
during a certain time which generally is specified by the context. 
Sometimes it covers but a very short time. We use the word that 
way ourselves. A workman, for example, says, that he kept for¬ 
ever at it, even if it was only a half a day during which he never 
intermitted his work. We speak also, for example, of everbearing 
peachtrees and mulberry trees, and of everblooming roses: though, 
thereby we do not intend to say that those plants bloom and fruit 
beyond the summer season. Jonah was only three days in the belly 
of “the great fish which the Lord had prepared.” The Scripture, 
however, says that as Jonah went down to the bottom “the earth with 
her bars was about him forever.” This was forever during three 
days. See Jonah 2:6. Further, if a house burns, and the fire can¬ 
not be extinguished, then we say ourselves that the fire was un¬ 
quenchable although it went out as soon as the house was consumed 
by it. The fire that destroyed the house was unquenchable because 


Concerning True and False Prophets. 


313 


is could not be extinguished until the house was destroyed, and 
then it went out itself. See Jer. 17:27. The valley of 
Hinnom (or Ge Hinnah) was a place where filth and 
carcasses were burnt, where fires were kept for that 
purpose and worms stayed alive in filthy spots. But 
while Fire is an emblem of destruction it is also an emblem of the 
purifying doctrine of Divine truth; and further, yea very fre¬ 
quently, it is an emblem of distress, anguish and tribulations of 
various kinds. Of the anger of the Lord it is frequently said, that 
it was kindled, and that it burnt. Jesus presented his similitudes 
and prophecies in the same figurative language as the old prophets * 
for through him, as through them, spake the same Spirit of God. 
In previous chapters we have seen, that the metaphors and their 
meanings are the same throughout both the Old and New Testa¬ 
ments. 

We shall speak now concerning the parable of the Rich Man 
and Lazarus. We do it inasmuch as some, by taking the figurative 
language as if it were literal, have set up a doctrine of eternal tor¬ 
ment and of an intermediate state of consciousness of the wicked, 
believing that also those that are not in Christ are alive between 
death and resurrection. 

Matthew tells us in ch. 13 :34 that Jesus spake to the people 
in parables, and that without parables spake he not unto them, 
Jesus also often explained his parables to the disciples while he 
did not to others. Luke 16:14 and 17:1 show plainly that Jesus 
spoke in a parable to the Pharisees concerning the Rich Man and 
Lazarus; for, according to Luke 16:14, 15, Jesus addressed not his 
disciples in that discourse, but only the Pharisees. We see this 
also from ch 17:1. For as soon as he had ended the said discourse 
he turned again to his disciples. This alone should satisfy any one 
that the discourse on the Rich Man and Lazarus was a parable. In 
another parable Jesus spoke of the scribes and Pharisees as of vine¬ 
dressers that brought no fruit unto their Lord, and that when the 
Lord sent unto them His Son, they cast him out and killed him. 
Then Jesus asked them. What will the Lord do to those wicked 
vineyardmen? They were to lose their vineyard and be punished. 
In many places the Scripture speaks of the great sufferings of the 
Jews which commenced with the siege of Jerusalem and lasted dur¬ 
ing long ages. They were dispersed, and the governments of the 
different nations oppressed them until about one hundred years 


314 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXIV . 

ago. Therefore the wrath of God wag prefigured as a fire that 
should come on the Israelitish nation. 

From the destruction of Jerusalem until the end of the 18th 
century, that is for 1700 years, that fire was burning unquenched. 
But now it is going out in accordance with the testimony long ago 
foretold in the Scripture. We see and know that the persecution* 
against the Israelites have now ceased almost everywhere, and that 
they are bound to cease also in Russia. Since the end of the eight¬ 
eenth century the nations have given the Jews civil rights, so that 
again they can acquire real estate, and they are at present increasing 
in wealth and influence. We shall prove that the Rich Man repre¬ 
sented the Jews and that the said parable gives no man a right to 
teach that God will torment the sinner to all eternity and in literal 
fire. The Jews were highly honored by all nations in the days of 
Christ and the apostles, while at the same time poor Lazarus repre¬ 
sented the apostolic, Hebrew Christian, community at Jerusalem 
which was distressed to the uttermost by the Jewish priests until 
the siege of Jerusalem. 

From all countries of the civilized world great wealth flowed 
to Jerusalem, not only from the scattered Israelites, but more yet 
from the* Gentiles. Thousands of prominent men, sometimes even 
kings, became converts to the Mosaic religion. Titus himself testi¬ 
fied that the Roman emperors had never forbidden the conveying 
of the great gifts to Jerusalem (although Seneca and other Roman 
writers complained of this and of the great respect that was shown 
to the Jews and their sanctuary). It was out of fear of losing 
their richly decked table that the Jews cast away Christ, Rom. 11:9. 
But poor Lazarus personified the Christian community at Jerusalem 
which barely subsisted on the scanty means that yet daily decreased 
the longer the temple and the Jewish priesthood continued. The 
Hebrew Christians were always called The Poor, or The Ebionites 
(the Hebrew Ebion signifies Poor). Of this Neander speaks at 
length in his Church History, vol. I, and refers also to John 7:48, 
49. In the beginning many Jews joined the disciples and with 
them held all things in common. But as the priesthood and the 
sacrificial ministrations in the temple which God Himself had 
chosen, still continued, additions and succor decreased, and at last, 
as the words of Jesus concerning the destruction of Jerusalem were 
yet unfilled, they ceased altogether. Jesus therefore forewarned 
his disciples of that dangerous and distressful time that came on 


Concerning True and False Prophets . 


315 


his church, not only at Jerusalem but in all countries. And he 
said, “If those days should not be shortened, no flesh should be 
saved.” Not only did the persecutions increase through the Jews, 
but after the conflagration of Rome, the Romans also began to kill 
the Christians, although not at Jerusalem. During all those years 
until the reign of Vespasian the prophecy of Jesus concerning the 
destruction of Jerusalem and the overthrow of the power of the 
Jews remained unfulfilled; and this made the time for Christians 
everywhere so exceedingly perilous. But we shall speak now of 
the Hebrew Christians at Jerusalem. We shall show that Jesus 
spoke of them under the figure of poor Lazarus who was full of 
sores. 

Lazarus (the Christian community at Jerusalem) would gladly 
have subsisted on the crumbs that fell from the Rich Man’s table 
(but they were not given him). The dogs however licked his sores. 
The Jews called the Gentiles “Unclean dogs”; see also Matth. 
15:26. The Gentiles, or Dogs, were poor Lazarus’ friends that 
licked his sores. The Gentile congregations of Achaia and else¬ 
where sent alms to the oppressed Christians at Jerusalem and re¬ 
lieved their temporal wants; and the pagan dogs, the officers of the 
Roman government, did always take the poor Christians under 
their protection. The Rich Man did not want Lazarus at his gate. 
If he could have helped it, and it had not been for the Roman au¬ 
thorities, he would not have suffered to see him there. It was in¬ 
deed strange, that though in the reign of Nero the Romans began 
to persecute the Christians in other countries, it was only the Rich 
Man, the Jewish priesthood, so History proves, and not in one 
solitary instance the Romans, that vexed the primitive church at 
Jerusalem. Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us also that the 
death of James the Just was avenged; that for this very reason 
the Jewish highpriest, who, when the Roman procurator had not 
yet arrived, considered it a good opportunity to persecute the 
Christians, was deposed by Albinus, the new Roman procurator, 
even before he arrived at Jerusalem. See Jos. Ant. B. 20, ch. 9. 
Thus we see how the dogs linked the sores of poor Lazarus. Laz¬ 
arus had a right to the things that were brought to honor God at 
Jerusalem, but the violent Rich Man hated even to have him in 
his sight. He tried to drive Lazarus away by his servants, and 
they wounded him and multiplied his sores But the dogs came 
and stood by him and licked his sores. The heathen officers 


316 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXIV. 

came and protected him, even as they also had protected Paul at 
Ephesus and other places. Indeed there is not one single witness 
to prove that the Roman authorities did not at all times, whenever 
they could, protect the Christians at Jerusalem from the persecu¬ 
tions of the Jewish priesthood. But some of our preachers tell 
strange things. They say the Rich Man was a good man and char¬ 
itable, and that he allowed Lazarus to stay at his house and be fed. 
However, it was not the Rich Man’s wish, but it was the Lord’s 
doing that Lazarus with his sores was laid at the Rich Man’s gate. 
Lazarus should have been admitted and deemed welcome, but he 
was not. God sent His Son to the Rich Man, but he cast him 
out and killed him. Where is the evidence that the Rich Man was 
charitable, and that he approved of Lazarus’ being laid at his gate ? 

Some preachers have said that the Rich Man was charitable 
and tenderhearted, and suffers eternal torment only because he did 
not believe in Christ. This invention is evidently made to make 
people believe that a man shall be saved if only he profess faith 
and “join the church.” A man is indeed saved by faith (or, 
speaking with full precision: by the law of faith) from his past 
sins, not however if he do not turn. For if he turn not and keep 
not God’s commandments, but is still selfish and uncharitable, he 
is no Christian although he have “joined a church.” The doctrine 
which some teach, that no matter how virtuous an ignorant heathen 
may be, God will torment him without end: is a terrible heresy, a 
blasphemy on the Name of the righteous and merciful God. Notice 
further, that the Rich Man was not a heathen. He was of Abra¬ 
ham’s seed, and therefore he should have studied God’s word and 
known His will. But let us return. 

Now, what came to pass? The end came that the Rich Man 
and Lazarus should depart from their former estates and positions; 
the time came when God gave Jerusalem into the hands of the Gen¬ 
tiles. The Roman army encompassed the city. This was the sign 
that Jesus had given to his disciples that they should pray the 
Father for an opportunity to flee from the calamities that were 
now coming. Matth. 24:15-21. And God indeed helped poor 
Lazarus. He sent angels to take care of the Christian community 
of J erusalem, and they caused a sudden terror to fall on the Roman 
army, so that it fled from the city as if pursued. History calls it a 
supernatural fear without any visible cause which moved Cestius 
suddenly to withdraw his army just after he had commenced the 


Concerning True and False Prophets. 


317 


siege. The uproar and exultation of the Jews and their tumultuous 
pursuit after the fleeing army was the chance that was offered to the 
Christians to make their escape quietly and unnoticed out of the 
city before the terrible visitation of God came on the Jews. For 
already the next day the army returned and beleaguered the city 
without let-up until it was destroyed. 

Death is certainly a symbol of a great change. The Christian 
community existed no longer'at that time in Jerusalem, that is 
Lazarus was no longer in the place where he was known before. 
He was removed by the help of angels and securely hid in the soli¬ 
tudes of Pella beyond Jordan. “The Rich Man died also.” He 
was cut off from the outside world and buried behind the three¬ 
fold walls of Jerusalem. There was his Hades (his Hell, as King 
James’ translation calls it) and he suffered the tortures which he 
had heaped on himself, the calamities which Moses and the other 
prophets had foretold and whereof Jesus had spoken, saying, that 
there would be such great tribulation as was not since the begin¬ 
ning of the world, nor ever shall be. 

Indeed, the Pharisees and the learned scribes bethought them¬ 
selves in their torment and mental anguish of the words of Jesus, 
now that it was too late. How they knew what they ought to have 
done. In their despair how glad would they have been now could 
they have heard a word of consolation through one of those proph¬ 
ets, Christ’s followers, in whom the Spirit of God was. But behold, 
Where are they ? What has become of them ? The Christian com¬ 
munity, poor Lazarus, was gone! Now the Rich Man’s eyes were 
opened, he realized that God had taken care of the followers of 
Christ. He had claimed for himself all the great promises which 
God gave to Abraham. But, what could this mean, that when the 
Romans returned and shut him in, Lazarus was gone? The Rich 
Man thought God would not give him over into the hands of the 
Gentiles. But seeing that Lazarus had been taken care of, he was 
bound to remember the so long derided prophecies of Jesus and 
the testimonies of the disciples; and then amidst the horrors of 
months now following he came to fully realize where he was, namely 
that he was thrust out of the vineyard and that the promises of the 
special election belonged to Lazarus: for Lazarus also was of the 
circumcision and the seed of Abraham.* The learned scribes, 

* Lazarus, the community of the poor Christians at Jerusalem, 
had in it members that belonged to the 144,000 elect of the tribes of 
Israel, the members of the spiritual male body of Christ, the bride¬ 
groom whose head is Jesus. See Ch. XIX. 



318 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXIV. 


elders and priests were bound to have understood this; but as to 
anything to lighten their burden they were still in darkness, under 
the veil. They could not see what though they lost those special 
promises they still could have done to gain peace and rest for their 
souls. 

Buried in the city, tormented by tyrants and hunger and dis¬ 
ease, and plunged in uttermost spiritual darkness and anguish, 
Oh how gladly would they have received a word of consolation, a 
glimmer of hope (like water that cools the tongue) if a messenger 
of the Lord, Lazarus, one of those Christians, could have come! 
But it was impossible, they were cut off. They were in the same 
conlition as king Saul was when (because of his continual dis¬ 
obedience and rebellion) the Lord answered him no more, neither 
by Urim or Thummim, nor any prophet. 

Benjamin and Judah together were the Rich Man; and he was 
buried by the Romans. The priests and scribes constituted the head 
and the people the members. And after death and destruction had 
had their harvest at Jerusalem, the remnant was not restored; but 
Titus kept them captive and sent them into Spain and Italy 

Now in like manner as the Rich Man stood for two tribes, so 
stood the five brethren for the other ten tribes (one for two, and 
five for ten). Did the scribes and elders of the Jews in their tor¬ 
ment, while shut up in Jerusalem, and yet when they were led 
away captive, not think on their brethren, the other tribes, that 
were in the North? hoping they might escape such tribulation? 
that they might see the truth? and that all these things might be 
held before their eyes before it should be too late? But, did they 
not have the Scripture, Moses and the prophets, to direct them, also 
to show them that Jesus, who was crucified, is the Christ? Did 
not the prophecy of Haggai (ch. 2) prove that the Christ was bound 
to come before the second temple was utterly destroyed? Now the 
scribes saw that it was destroyed. And what about Isa. ch. 53 and 
other prophecies? But they had rejected their Savior. And like¬ 
wise did the five brethren, the ten tribes. While from these, ac¬ 
cording to Eusebius History, indeed a great many were converted 
and confessed Christ after the destruction of Jerusalem, vet the 
bulk of the nation did not regard the word of God, but let them¬ 
selves be seduced by many false prophets. One of them finally caused 
them to attempt a revolt against the Roman government. Led by 
him the ten tribes gathered themselves out of Asia Minor, Syria, 


Concerning True and False Prophets. 319 

Pontus, and began in Galilee a war against the Eomans. But they 
also were overwhelmed: one million were killed, some dispersed; 
and the great bulk of them was deported across the Sea and beyond 
the Alps to the western frontier of Germany. In that war* (60 
years after the destruction of Jerusalem) was fulfilled the prophecy 
of Jesus concerning the ruin of the cities of Galilee: Chorazin, 
and Bethsaida; and, said Jesus, “Thou Capernaum, which art ex¬ 
alted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell” (to the ground, 
to ruinf). The rest of the prophecy in Mattli. ch. 11 refers to the 
last judgment which is yet to come, in due time, on every indi¬ 
vidual. The above mentioned calamities, however, were national, 
and are already fulfilled. 

^he parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus was a prophetic par¬ 
able, like that in Mark 12:12, and it concerned the wicked vine- 
yardmen, the elders of the Jews, in whose overthrow the whole na¬ 
tion was involved. As in the parable of the fraudulent steward 
Jesus had applied as an instruction the worldly wisdom of the 
Greeks, who praised such cunning as the unrighteous steward had. 
so did he in this parable use the fable of the Pharisees which they 
had received from the same pagans. The superstitions and un- 
scriptural doctrine that the wicked go forthwith into torment after 
death was the very reason that the Pharisees were blinded and 
could not at the time fathom the meaning of this prophetic parable 
of the Rich Man and Lazarus. It was just as they deserved, and 
so was intended: that they should hear, but not understand it until 
the time of its fulfilment. See Matth. 13 :11-1 5 . And their pos¬ 
terity is like them: with their eyes they do not see; and they hear, 
but heed not. The veil hangs yet over their face. Verse 14 (Luke 
ch. 16) tells us, that they derided Jesus for the good lesson which 
he had given them concerning unrighteous wealth. But their deri¬ 
sion fell on their own heads by the parable of the Rich Man and 
Lazarus. Jesus treated the hypocrites on other occasions in like 
manner. When they avoided to give their opinion as to whence 
the baptism of John was he said to them, “Neither will I tell you;” 
and again when they attempted to accuse him to the Romans he 
asked. Whose name was on the penny . . . etc. 

* Incorrectly called The Second Jewish war; for it was the war 
with the ten tribes. 

f The word which is translated Hell reads in the original: Hades, 
that is The Unseen. 



320 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXIV. 

—On the same day that the foregoing was written a sermon was 
preached in Malvern on the condition of the dead. The preacher 
labored to prove that the discourse concerning the Rich Man and 
Lazarus was no parable, but that it was a real story. First, he 
said, It is no parable because the inspired writer did not say that 
it was. Now notice, that there are other parables in Luke’s gospel 
not designated as such, but on which, notwithstanding, all are 
agreed that they are parables. Thus in the most of Bibles we find 
printed over Luke ch. 14 the words “The parable of the Marriage 
Supper,” over Luke ch. 15 “The parable of the Prodigal Son,” 
while over ch. 16 we find only the words “The Rich Man and Laz¬ 
arus”—nothing said that this is a parable. This is a sample of 
arbitrary discrimination of so-called theologians who hold to the 
R. Cath. doctrine of eternal torment and therefore do not want 
to designate Luke 16:19-31 as a parable. The reader may know 
that the divisions of the Scripture into chapters and verses and the 
headings are not original, but were made by the translators. In¬ 
asmuch as Jesus spake to the people in parables (as stated in 
Matth. 13:14) Luke needed not to tell us that those three discourses 
(of the Prodigal Son, the Marriage Supper and the Rich Man and 
Lazarus) were parables. But the clergymen made the superscrip¬ 
tion to Luke ch. 16 to suit their creeds. Yea, there was even a 
name and a legend circulated referring to the Rich Man. We have 
shown in Ch. Ill what a terrible power the clergy wielded during 
the Dark Ages: how they smote the earth with all plagues, how they 
robbed men and made hell hot for them, as the saying is. Through 
the power of the state governments men were compelled to take as 
God’s word what the papacy had taught. Men were persecuted, 
yea, often burnt at the stake, for not accepting such doctrines. 
These things were done by Protestants as well as by the Catholics. 
But the day of recompense is come. As spiritual Bab}don has 
plunged souls in darkness, so is now darkness poured over her. The 
great wealth of the papacy and her power which she gained through 
her traffic with the souls of men, through the mass and purgatory 
and so forth, is slipping from her. Her false doctrines and deep 
schemes wherewith she caught the ignorant, and has even changed 
the law of God, are going to be exposed. 

Further he said, that “Jesas spoke of the burial of the Rich 
Man, but did not mention the burial of Lazarus, because that a 
rich man’s burial is a great affair, but that nobody notices the poor ” 


Concerning True and False Prophets. 321 

Now, this only shows the perfect accuracy of this prophecy. In¬ 
deed, those few members of the Christian community that were left 
in Jerusalem after so many years of distress did not have such a 
burial as the Rich Man. The burial of the Rich Man was an affair 
so conspicuous that all the world heard of it and speaks of it yet to 
this day: for it was performed by the Roman army. But the death, 
the end of the existence of Lazarus in his former abode in Jerusa¬ 
lem and his removal by divine-aid, was not at all noticed on that 
day when the Jews with great tumult pursued the retreating Ro¬ 
man army. Therefore the parable does not mention the burial of 
poor Lazarus; for, really, he was not buried; but the angels of God 
came and helped him to get away. And he was comforted and re- \ 
assured that the great promise which God gave to Abraham shall be 
fulfilled in due time. Lazarus was first carried away through divine 
interposition (that is, the ministry of angels) and comforted, just 
as Jesus had said, and then came the great change (or death) on 
the Rich Man. For the next day the Roman army returned and 
shut the Rich Man in, and he was buried alive to suffer untold tor¬ 
ment. But Lazarus was free. He was whence he could still go 
forth whithersoever he willed except only that place of torment in 
which the Rich Man was. For there was a gulf, a great barriei, 
between Jerusalem and the place where Lazarus was, namely the 
destroying army of the idolators, the desolation of abomination 
spoken of by Daniel. Lazarus could have visited the Rich Man’s 
brethren that were in the North, if it had been of any use. He 
could have told them how God had taken care of him; that he was 
now comforted, that his weak members were no longer trembling 
because of the power of the Jews; that the authority of the Aaronic 
priesthood, the great stumbling block by which some had almost 
perished, was removed, and that the fulfilment of the words of 
Jesus (Matth. 24, etc.), which was so long delayed, was now ac¬ 
complished. He could have spoken to them concerning other 
prophecies and the great promises of God which will surely be ful¬ 
filled. Such was the case with Lazarus. He was free. But was it 
necessary for him to go to the Rich Man’s brethren? No: they had 
already repentance preached unto them and the gospel concerning 
Jesus, the Messiah, who rose from the dead. The apostle John and 
his disciples labored among them in Minor Asia. Also Peter and 
James and the rest of “the twelve apostles to the house of Israel” 
had cared for them and written to them in Pontus, Cappadocia 


322 Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXIV. 

and those northern regions where they dwelt, and great numbers of 
Christians were living among them, and a great many were yet con¬ 
verted after Jerusalem was destroyed. (While Lazarus thus was 
free the Rich Man was shut up in a place of torment, in a hades, 
an unseen place, barred off from the outside world.) 

That this is the true interpretation is further evident: for, if 
the Rich Man had been an individual, that was wicked and out of 
Christ, his death, according to the Scripture, would have been lit¬ 
eral. He would not have known anything when he died, his very 
thoughts would have perished, Ps. 146:4; Eel. 9:5, etc. But the 
Rich Man was not an individual, but personified the Jewish nation. 
The Rich Man’s hopes had been, that the promises given to the 
chosen seed of Abraham were his. He had always boasted of this, 
but he saw now that those promises belonged to Lazarus, who also 
was of Abraham’s seed. His eyes, spiritually speaking, were 
opened, and he saw that Lazarus was in Abraham’s bosom, namely 
in the possession of the great promises that God gave to Abraham. 
But he found himself in hades and in torment. 

The escape to Pella must really be considered as a cause of 
Lazarus’ spiritual salvation. For, Let us for a moment contem¬ 
plate the distress of the Christians in Jerusalem during the last 
days before their flight, and at the same time let us remember the 
words of Jesus, that “if those days should not be shortened no flesh 
would be saved.” These words convey the proper knowledge of the 
awful dangers which the church toward the last had to endure in 
Jerusalem. It is awful even to think of what might have happened 
if the Christians had been left in Jerusalem, and the temptations 
that might have allured some to despair of God’s mercies. If God 
had not sent His angels to the rescue, probably not one Christian 
would have escaped the unrestrained fanaticism of the Jews at the 
beginning of the siege, when as yet they were drunken with bigotry 
and frenzy and confidence. That miraculous escape of poor Laz¬ 
arus was the very reason that the eyes of the Rich Man were opened 
for the first time, so that he began to realize his condition and saw 
that it was God that had taken care of Lazarus, and that, when 
during the siege he was in great torment, he wished his brethren 
would not experience a like visitation of God’s wrath. 

Nothing more need be said on the subject of how greatly the 
Jews used to boast of being Abraham’s children and so forth. But 
we will yet mention that Epiphanius gave the testimony that on the 


Concerning True and False Prophets. 


323 


day of the withdrawal of the Roman army an angel appeared visibly 
and warned the church by word to immediately leave the city. 

The last point that the said preacher thought yet to have 
made in favor of his views was this: He said, that concerning the 
condition of the dead the Greeks held the same views as the Jews 
(namely, that the wicked were conscious and tormented immedi¬ 
ately after death*). Dear reader, Did the Jews always believe 
that doctrine? And, Did the pagan Greeks receive that doctrine 
from the Jews, or did the Jews get it from the Greeks? The truth 
is, that not all the Jews believed in it, but only the sect of the 
Pharisees. Verses 14 and 15 of the 16th chapter of Luke tell us 
that Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees. This shows the reason 
why Jesus used this parable. Jesus often accused the Pharisees of 
teaching traditions of men. One of these was the pagan doctrine 
of continuous life and immediate and neverending torment of the 
wicked. This tradition was received in the time of the second over¬ 
throw of the Theocracy of Israel, namely in the days of Antiochus 
Epiphanes, when Greek philosophy and Greek customs and supersti¬ 
tions crept in among the Jews. From that time onward heathen 
delusions came to be grievous and deceived all that looked for 
revelations in other directions outside God’s word. The Lord there¬ 
fore spake of the elders of Israel that followed human doctrines, 
saying “They have chosen their own wavs, so will I also make choice 
of their delusions.” Isa. 66 :3, 4. So did Christ make choice of 
their delusions when he presented this parable. But the Saducees 
(the sons of Zadoc) to whom since King Solomon’s time the priest¬ 
hood belonged, dared not teach that there was an intermediate 
state, nor any living spirit of those that died, nor even that there 
was a resurrection: because God had not revealed these things 
through Moses whose books alone they esteemed as containing indis¬ 
putably the word of God. The Mosaic writings indeed forbade to 
speculate on things that were not clearly revealed (see Deut 
29:29), and the later prophecies being clothed in symbolisms could 
not be fully understood before Christ. Life and immortality are 
the gift of God through Christ only, and therefore were not brought 


* The pagan Greeks, however, placed trial and judgment for 
every individual before condemnation. Therefore in this they were 
more reasonable tnan nominal Christendom which believes that the 
wicked are already tormented and yet in time will be brought back 
and then judged and returned again to the same torment. 



324 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXIV. 


to light through the law but through Jesus Christ. Jesus there¬ 
fore did not rebuke the Saducees for their unbelief in the resurrec¬ 
tion. He only said to them "You do err, not knowing the Scrip¬ 
ture but he often and severely rebuked the Pharisees and law¬ 
yers for their manmade doctrines.* How could the pagan Greeks 
have a better knowledge of divine things than the highpriest. 
the Lord’s anointed, on whom God bestowed the office of sacri- 
ficator and teacher of His oracles? 

More might yet be said in order to exhibit the great truths 
hidden in this parable. The voice of Abraham is figurative. As 
the blood of Abel was crying from the earth, or, as the accusations 
of Moses against the Scribes and Pharisees came before God, John 
5:45-47, so is here the voice of Abraham figurative. And, did not, 
after they had heard that parable, one really rise from the dead? 
Yes, and they all heard of him. Yet they would not believe. 

Some may yet venture to cast aside all the foregoing testi¬ 
monies by saying that Jesus certainly did not speak only in para¬ 
bles. But it is also true that he never omitted to use a parable when 
he spake to the multitudes. But now the fact that the Pharisees 
had mocked Jesus because of his discourse on the unrighteous 
worldly riches, and that Luke recorded the plain words which Jesus 
addressed to the Pharisees, is positive proof, along with v. 1 of 
ch. 17, that the rest of his discourse with which he wound up his 
arguments with the Pharisees was a parable and was bound to have 
been a parable according to Matth. 13:34. Jesus had spoken the 

* To the sect of the Saducees belonged only the priest caste in 
the days of Christ. For since the Maccabbaean age the Pharisees had 
gained the multitudes on their side. But at last-, about three years 
before the destruction of Jerusalem they also gained the priests over 
to their views. Today therefore all the Jews claim to be Pharisees, 
and they esteem their traditions (the Talmud, etc.) as highly as the 
books of Moses. And furthermore, the ceremonials and ordinances 
which God gave 500 years after the call of Abraham (having added 
them to the fundamental law and called them (as yet) imperfect and 
not good, Ez. 20: 25) they now keep more strictly than the command¬ 
ments of the fundamental and eternal law of God. In this many 
Christians are no better, especially those who set repentance toward 
God below the ordinances of the new covenant.—Hegesippus called 
the Pharisees (who believe in the immortality of the soul) False 
Sectarians as well as he does the Saducees (who believed not in any 
resurrection). He also asserted that some of the Apocrypha were 
forged. See Euseb. b. 4, ch. 23. 



Concerning True and False Prophets. 


325 


parable of the Unjust Steward to his own disciples, Matth 16:1, 
and also expounded its meaning to them, as his manner was, Mark 
4:34. ‘But some Pharisees overheard what he said and mocked him, 
v. 14, and therefore Jesus turned toward them, v. 15, and uttered 
the prophetic parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus which they 
should hear, but not understand until it was fulfilled. If this 
had not been a parable then Jesus would in this instance have 
spoken to the Pharisees without a parable, and thus the Scriptural 
statement, that Jesus did not pseak without a parable to others but 
only his disciples, would not be true. Further, some lay great stress 
on the word “was,” saying that because Jesus said There was.a cer¬ 
tain Rich Man and There was a certain beggar*, it is no parable, 
but a real story. Will they tell us how Jesus should have properly 
presented this lesson? Did he not speak in just the same way of 
the Prodigal Son and others? Are not all the great prophecies in 
the Revelation given in the past tense with a certainty as though 
they had already been fulfilled ? And are there not parables in the 
Bible that are yet more strange than that of the Rich Man and 
Lazarus? For example, see Ez. ch. 17: Does an eagle break twigs 
from trees and plant them? And what about the engrafting of 
wild olive branches into a tame stock, which is contrary to human 
usage? The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus contains no 
such difficulties. 

Ever since the fulfilment of this prophecy it became the right 
of every Christian to teach the lessons thereby conveyed. “The 
secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are 
publicly known belong to us and to our children.” Deut. 29:29. 

In Acts 2:25-32 Peter spoke of Jesus: that God did not leave 
his soul in the grave,! nor did permit that he should see corrup¬ 
tion. Not see corruption is the same as Not leave in the grave. 
Of such parallels biblical poetry is full, especially the Psalms. 
Further, The word Soul is used in the Scripture in the same sense 
as we use the word Person. There are live and dead persons. God 

* Acts 24:17; I Cor. 16:1. 

-j- The Episcopalians and Lutherans have used here the word 
Hell. Others who are impartial have not done so, for the reason that 
they knew the strange sense in which that word was taken by the 
common people since the time that the papacy sprang up. For exam¬ 
ple in that splendid French translation, the Parisian Edition of the 
year 1805, we read: Ps. 16:10, “Tu n’abandonneras point mon ame 
dans le sepulchre:' \ 



326 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXIV. 


breathed the breath of life into man’s nostrils and “man became a 
living soul/’ Gen. 2:7. Jesus did not descend into what people 
call Hell, but his body (and soul) was in the grave, while his Divine 
Spirit was with God. The words Not see corruption and Not leave 
in the grave are parallels, just as for example, “Thy staff comforts 
me” and “Thy rod comforts me,” or: “Lord, rebuke me not in 
Thy wrath,” and: “Chasten me not in Thy hot displeasure.” 
Wrath and Hot displeasure are here the same thing, the result of 
the same cause and the cause of like tribulation. In Ps. 19 :1 “The 
heavens declare the glory of God” means about the same as “The 
firmament showeth His handiwork,” etc. Likewise in the so-called 
Apostolic creed “was buried” is evidently the same as “descended 
to hades.” The Hebrew word Sheol, meaning the Grave, was trans¬ 
lated into the Greek as Hades, which literally means The unseen 
world. By English and Germans Hades was sometimes translated 
Hell and sometimes The Grave. In the Symbolum Quicumque, 
which is the original Athanasian Creed, we read: “Who suffered 
for our salvation, descended into hades, rose again the third day.” 
But the Nicene Creed says: “And suffered and was buried; and 
the third day rose again.” You see, the words “descended to hades” 
are not in the Nicene Creed, and the words “was buried” are not 
in the Athanasian Creed. Evidently they mean the same. The 
words “descended to hades” may first have been set down as a pa¬ 
renthesis after the words “was buried,” namely thus: “And suf¬ 
fered and was buried (descended to hades) ; and the third day 
rose again.” Be this as it may. But just as soon as finally the 
so-called apostolic or orthodox creed was set up and the Cathe- 
chumens were taught to say “Was crucified, dead and buried; he 
descended to hades; the third day he rose . . then imme¬ 

diately appeared also the purgatory, massreading for the dead, 
and other doctrines of the Roman church that brought traffic and 
money* and which in the primitive church had not been heard of. 
Since, as Peter says, the Spirit of Christ spake through all the holy 
prophets since the world began, it was therefore by Noah that 
Christ also preached to the antediluvians. The nations that forgot 
God are simply in hades, in the bosom of the earth, in darkness, in 
their graves. They know not anything, “They are like the beasts 

* On How the new, commonly adopted creed came to be called 
Apostolic: see Neander’s Church History, Bohn’s edition, vol. II, pp. 
409, 410. 



Concerning True and False Prophets. 


327 


that perish” until called forth in the great resurrection to receive 
justice according to their works. But the spirits of Christ’s peo¬ 
ple ascend before the throne of God whence they shall return and 
inhabit the earth after the storms of judgment and torment of 
the times of restitution of which the prophets have spoken, are 
past. The heaventy Jerusalem shall descend after the earth has 
been restored to her Edenic beauty, after Christ, the agent of 
God,* with his elect shall have brought back what was lost in ages 

“0 the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowl¬ 
edge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His wavs 
past finding out! . . . For of Him and through Him and 

to Him are all things, to Whom be glory for ever. Amen.” Rom. 
11:33-36. 

If there was endless torment, how could the promise of God 
be fulfilled that there shall be no more pain, nor any curse ? As to 
the intermediate state of the wicked the Scripture positively 
teaches, that the wages of sin is death, that we must seek after 
life and immortality, that the same was brought to light through 
Christ, that there is no remembrance, nor knowledge in sheol (or: 
hades). Ps. 146:4; Eel. 9:5; Ps. 6:5; Rom. 2:7; I Tim. 6:16; 
2 Tim. 1:10. Isaiah also says “Sheol can not praise Thee . 
the living, he shall praise Thee.” The dead, that is to say those 
of the departed that are not in Christ, are therefore dead until the 
genera) resurrection. The Scripture teaches that save for Christ no 
man would have escaped death; and also that those who are in 
Christ shall never die. Those who depart in Christ are the only 
ones that shall not taste death, but shall go to Jesus and shall see 
his glory which he left to save the world. Those who are not in 
Christ shall not have life until the great resurrection 
when all shall come forth and be judged with the liv¬ 
ing. And then will commence the tribulation, or vul¬ 

garly speaking: the hell, of all the wicked. The suffering 
of the wicked can not take place before their resurrection, nor 
will they be tormented to no purpose somewhere apart, without 
end; but their torment shall be in the presence of the Lamb and 
the holy angels, see Rev. 14:10: “eis aioonas aioonoon” that is: 
“into ages of ages” (a certain number of ages, namely the ages of 


* See Ch. V., On the Doctrine of the Trinity. 



328 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


the restitution, Acts 3:19-21). It will not last “eis tous aioonas 
toon aioonoon” (that is: not “into all the ages”) as God liveth, 
as we read in Rev. ch. 15. For the ages of suffering will end when 
all evil is destroyed; and no pain, nor sorrow, nor weeping, nor 
any curse shall exist any more when Christ gives up the restored 
kingdom unto God, 1 Cor. 15 :28. The beast and the false prophet 
that shall be tormented into the ages of the ages, Rev. 20:10 (“eis 
tous aioonas toon aioonoon”) are not individuals but systems of 
atheism and false religion. This is fully proven in the exegesis of 
the Revelation, Part I of this book. It is obvious that those false 
systems will be remembered and abhorred for ever by all, both by 
them who were deceived by those systems as well as by them who but 
received the knowledge of them. 


Chapter XXV. 

On Objections Raised Against Peculiar Statements and Ex= 
pressions Found in the Bible. 

Prejudice against the Scripture can arise only in them that 
do not study it sufficiently. This applies mostly to the Old Testa¬ 
ment. 

Why did the Lord not cut off David after he had committed 
his great crime ? And why was Saul cut off for things which to all 
men appear to be only light transgressions ? And why did the 
Lord say Jacob have I loved, but Esau I have hated ? And did not 
Saul and Esau repent and lament their condition? Yes, they did; 
but not perfectly: they were incorrigible. They continually slid 
back and continued to rebel against God’s commandments. This, 
alas, is the way with so many! Certainly they grieved, but it was 
more on account of their misfortunes than their sins. But David 
grieved not because of his disgrace, but because of his sin. Herod 
could not bear the reproof of John; and therefore he put John in 
prison. How different he was from David! David was honored 
and loved by his people. No one might ever have thought him 
capable of the crime he had committed. And why Uriah was slain, 
was known only to himself. But what did he do when the Lord 
sent His prophet to him and showed him the enormity of his sin?' 
Was he proud like Herod, or like Saul who excused himself before 



On Objections Against Peculiar Biblical Statements. 329 


Samuel ? or, did he keep his sin from the knowledge of the people ? 
No ; he repented publicly in sackcloth and ashes. Therefore his 
awful deed is recorded in the chronicles of History as a warning 
for those who think they are strong, and a stumblingblock for the 
perverted that seek to find fault with the Bible. David’s heart was 
right. Though sometimes passionate and thoughtless, pride was 
not there. He always addressed and treated the humblest in Israel 
as his brethren. In order to show the character of David, his rev¬ 
erence for God, and his humility, let us quote but one incident of 
his life: “The host of the Philistines was encamped in the valley 
of Eephaim. They had taken Bethlehem, the town where David 
was bprn and where he passed his boyhood. Now David and his 
men were cut off by the Philistines and had no water. And David 
longed and said: “Oh, that one would give me drink of the water 
of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!” And three of his 
valiant men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew 
water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and 
brought it to David. But David had reflected and become sorry of 
his unthoughtful wish that caused those men to risk their lives. 
Therefore he would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord, 
and said, “My God forbid it me that I should do this thing! Shall 
I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeop¬ 
ardy? for with danger of their lives they brought it.” You see, 
David overcame his appetite when he reflected and was at himself. 
To rfesist thirst is even more difficult than to resist hunger. The 
appetite was the first thing Satan worked on when he tempted Eve 
and when he tempted Christ. Therefore it is evident that David 
committed his crime unthoughtedty, and not with purpose of heart, 
as some, who oppose the Bible, insinuate. As to his order to put 
Uriah in front of the battle we must consider the distress and worry 
of David when Uriah returned to him from his house. T]ie fact 
that Uriah would not stay at his house precipitated him to that 
rash act of writing to Joab over which he did not duly reflect. As 
in a vacuum there is no impediment of air and a feather falls as 
quickly as a piece of iron, so are the eyes of God not obstructed. 
He sees what is in man. Therefore, many a transgression that is 
esteemed light by man is great in the sight of God. 

Further, Why should the bloody conquest of Canaan and the ex¬ 
termination of its inhabitants be a stumblingblock to some? The 
Lord said that the iniquity of the Canaanites had reached its height, 


330 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths: Ch. XXV. 


that they even burnt their own children in sacrifice to their gods; 
and committed unspeakable abominations, so that the land itself 
was spewing out its inhabitants. Shall a man correct God, and 
say to Him, What doest Thou? Is it not also better for-children to 
die than to become so wicked ? But in time the Israelites also for¬ 
sook the Lord and became even as the Canaanites had been. Ca¬ 
lamities therefore pursued them also: famine, pestilence and the 
sword, and God put them under the yoke of strangers and dispersed 
them. In the judgment which is to come on every individual God 
shall impute to each one only his own sins, Ez. 18:20; but in this 
world the law of natural subordination comes in and causes that 
women and children must suffer with men. 

Further, Some can not believe that an angel caused BalaanTs 
ass to speak. But a day of judgment is coming on all such as 
Balaam was, on the covetous who build their houses at the expense 
of the poor and give themselves to do evil. Their ill-gotten wealth 
will become a curse to them: “the stone shall cry out of the wall, 
and the beam out of the timber shall answer ” In that day “they 
shall (figuratively speaking) throw their gold and silver to the 
moles and bats.”* 

Some have said, that the Bible states that Pharaoh was 
drowned in the Bed Sea while nevertheless his mummy was lately 
found in its tomb. Where is any testimony in the Bible that Pha¬ 
raoh was drowned? Nowhere; but he pursued the Israelites until 
night, and he remained in camp that night when the cloud placed 
itself between Israel and the Egyptians. His horse and men fol¬ 
lowed and were drowned, but he remained in camp. 

Now, as to Jonah's whale: Why do some people just want to 
demolish the Bible, or ridicule it? We know, of course, that no 
man can enter a whale, and that no man can breathe in it. The 
book of Jonah, ch. 1 v. 7, says: “Now the Lord had prepared a 
great fish to swallow up Jonah.” Not at all does it say that it was 

* Some books that are mentioned in the Bible are no more extant. 
As to the matter of Balaam there is wanting the full account of how 
in the first place he desired to go, contrary to God’s commandment, 
and second, how he gave the prince of the Medianites the wicked 
advice that in order to bring misfortune on the children of Israel, it 
was only necessary to cause them to trespass the commandments of 
their God. He caused Balak to corrupt the Israelitish youths by send¬ 
ing the daughters of his nation among them to entice them to commit 
whoredom and partake with them in their idolatrous worship. 



On Objections Against Peculiar Biblical Statements. 331 

a whale, but that the Lord created it to preserve Jonah alive. Copy¬ 
ists undoubtedly are the cause that there are a few mistakes in the 
Bible. The word Whale may have come into Matthew’s gospel be¬ 
cause the translator chose the Whale to illustrate the great size of 
the fish, just as we also frequently say of large animals that they 
are Whales. When we consider that the Gospel according to 
Matthew, in which alone Jonah's “Whale” is found, was first in 
Hebrew, and afterwards translated into the Greek (as it now 
stands) the mystery is solved, from the facts, that the ancients were 
poor zoologists, that whales are exceedingly scarce in the Mediter¬ 
ranean, and that their nature was little known, and that it was 
therefore reasonable for the translator to think that Jonah must 
have‘been swallowed by a whale Translators have been doing such 
work all along. We had occasion to mention in Ch. XVI that in 
French and Swedish Bibles the word Sunday was put for the word 
“Lord’s Day” in Rev. 1:10. We also noticed in Ch. V how er¬ 
roneously the sixth verse of ch. 2 to the Philippians was trans¬ 
lated, etc. 

Some wish for a revised Bible on account of the occasional 
use of certain plain words. However, may we.ask, Is it not neces¬ 
sary that the examples and the lessons of the awful consequences 
of sin should be set forth plainly? Does the Bible teach anything 
else but truth and righteousness, and the wav to life ? Is it not a 
perverted mind that thinks of evil where there is none? Evil 
thoughts are sinful. It is pitiable to notice how some try to avoid 
plain language. The state of society is becoming at present much 
the same as it was in Paris before the awful revolution in the end 
of the eighteenth century when it was the seat of the greatest learn¬ 
ing and at the same time the corruptest place in Europe, so that 
it became the center of the Reign of Terror of the Beast of the 
Bottomless Pit from 1791 to 1795. 

Great evils come from hypocrisy in speech. A man, if he be 
no Christian, ought at least be gentlemanly, always, at all times, 
and not only before women and children. If there were no per¬ 
verted sentiment and no fear against saying what ought to be said, 
how much suffering, especially to the young, might be avoided. 
Parents should also instruct their children, as they grow up, in 
regard to the natural laws and warn them against all evils, and, 
adding thereto the word of God, keep many from physical and spir¬ 
itual ruin. How many parents have bitterly mourned over their 


332 Exposition of Heavenly Truths : Ch. XXV. 

neglect in informing and admonishing their children and raising 
them up in the nurture of the Lord! 

In the Old Testament we find many excellent precepts; and 
they are generally neglected, as for example, Not to eat flesh of 
animals that were slaughtered in such a manner that the flesh was 
not drained of every particle of blood; further, Not to drink fer¬ 
mented liquor before or during work or business time. And, What 
lessons we find on temperance in all things, on moral purity, etc.! 
There is much uncleanness and wickedness of which many hesitate 
to make mention, but it should be mentioned. Many men are in 
certain moral respects beneath polygamists. There is need of purity 
at home, not only among the public, but purity in the sight of God 
at all times. Not only no murderer, no liar, and so forth, but also 
no unclean and abominable person can enter the city of God, 
Rev. 21:27. 

Among other things some also ask, Where did Cain get his 
wife? May we ask them (—-can they tell?): 1. How long was 
Adam in Paradise? Could it not have been hundreds of years, or 
a thousand years before he sinned ? Is it reasonable to suppose that 
he was but a short time in Paradise? 2. Is it reasonable to sup¬ 
pose that Adam and Eve did not at all regard the commandment of 
God to be fruitful and multiply before they sinned? Were these 
offspring not sons of God inasmuch as Adam was at first called The 
Son of God (as long as he obeyed God) and as long as they were 
not servants of sin? Is it reasonable to suppose that Adam ever 
would have died, if he had not broken God’s commandment?* Had 
not God told him that when he should break the commandment, 
then (and not before) should he die? From what time therefore 
did Adam’s days begin to be counted? Was it not from the self-same 
day that he began to die? from the day in which he sinned and 
therefore was bound to die ? 3. The Bible instructs us nowhere in 
regard to things that do not concern our salvation. Its chief bur¬ 
den is to instruct the fallen race, how it can be saved from perdi¬ 
tion. It was not given for beings who have no need of repentance. 
Can we therefore not easily comprehend why there is no history in 
the Bible concerning Adam’s life before his fall? 4. The Bible 
tells us that after some time, when men multiplied on the earth; 
the sons of God began to intermarry with the fallen race, and that 
thereby all flesh became corrupt; Gen. 6:1-5. Could those sons of 


* Deut. 8:3; Neh. 9:29; Matt. 19:17; etc. 



On Objections Against Peculiar Biblical Statements. 333 

God have been angels that married the daughters of men? seeing 
that Jesus informed us concerning angels when he said, that after 
the resurrection men shall neither marry nor be given in marriage, 
but shall be as the angels? Jude 6 certainly refers to the rebel¬ 
lion of Lucifer and his angels against God and not to intercourse 
with daughters of men. Those angels left their first estate into 
which God had placed them, and 'rebelled against God and tried 
to usurp His power, the very thing that some translators have falsely 
charged Christ with through their erroneous translation of Philip 
2 :6. Now, do we need to ask any more where Cain got his wife ? 
Have we not strong circumstantial evidence that there were sons 
and daughters born to Adam before he sinned, perhaps for a thou¬ 
sand years, and that these, as long as they did not sin, were called 
children of God, and ruled the former world before the fall; but 
that in time they also became corrupted by intermarriages?. Is it 
not this to which the 4th book of Esdras refers w r hen speaking of a 
former world? We need no history, nor speculations on things that 
do not concern us. 

The old prophets that delivered the word of God, were unso¬ 
phisticated, and not on the outlook for foolish assaults: foT the 
word of God needs no corrections, nor additions, nor revisions. It 
only needs to be studied. The Bible, the Old and New Testaments 
together gives us the history of fallen mankind, and shows us how 
men can be reconciled to God. Therefore the Bible should draw 
the profoundest attention, and should be open in every household; 
and the head of the family ought to be able to instruct his own in 
those things which they do not readily understand. 


PostScript. Why is it that the majority of men understand 
but very little concerning Divine things ? The Scripture says, it is 
because men do not love to walk in the commandments of God. To 
the worldly-wise this seems a strange reason ; but it is the only 
true one. The teaching that directs men into the way to be saved 
is indeed so plain that every wicked wayfarer can understand it; 
but only a childlike and obedient and God-devoted mind can begin 
to apprehend the deep things of God and His wonderful dealings. 

When men turn from their evil way then will God also draw 
near to them. No man, says Jesus, can come to me except the 
Father, Which sent me, draw him. God did not leave Cornelius 



334 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


and the Eunuch of Aethiopia in the dark. Bat alas, men like those 
are scarce. The majority of men love darkness better than light. 
They really love only the things of the present world, and therefore 
divine, eternal truths can not enter. Jesus said to the Pharisees, 
“Because I tell you the truth ye do not believe me.” How can 
those who reject to walk in the plainest fundamental principles of 
righteousness be able to see other truths, such as God gives them 
only that love Him? Covered and surrounded with darkness the 
world loves false pleasures and psychical speculations, things that 
are only sentimental, fictitious and often contain poison. Also 
works that can be dramatized, as Ben Hur, etc., enjoy specially the 
favor of the masses. Many popular writers and speakers of our 
days have said that “imagination is the life of literature.” Alas, 
it is true. The world, on the average, finds more pleasure in read¬ 
ing novels and such things than in the study of science, whether 
divine or profane. Therefore also this book will attract but a 
minority. 

We are here in the wilderness, like the children of Israel, 
amidst trials and temptations. We cannot expect good in the present 
world. The Christian has here no resting place. The present covenant 
is a covenant of self-sacrifice, a covenant of election to a great inher¬ 
itance. It is not a fleshly covenant. Paul says, We have here no 
resting place but a future one we are seeking. Again he says, If 
we look for good in this life, then we are of all men the most miser¬ 
able. Of the apostles he says, they were a spectacle unto the world 
and to the angels. Again he says, All that would live godly shall 
suffer persecution. Always will there be poor among the people of 
God. Jesus says to his disciples, Ye shall have the poor always 
with you. The goats are not the suffering kind. They can take 
hold of everything and eat thereof; they take advantage of every 
opportunity to gain profit; and if they push one another from cliffs 
they can turn in the air and generally land on their feet unhurt. 
Sheep can not do that. Goats always surmise evil, and therefore 
are always on their guard. But the sheep are not so. They do not 
send out a leader of their own to stand on a high point and look 
for coming trouble as the wild goats do in the mountains. They 
look only for their shepherd to guide them, And they know his 
voice and follow him. We are certainly in the wilderness; but if 
we follow the Lord it shall be well with us. He will bring us into 
the promised land and heal the sores and bind up the broken limbs; 


Postscript . 


335 


and thorns shall pierce us no more. Then shall the weary be at 
rest and no oppressor shall be there. 

The Lord reveals His secrets to them that love Him and keep 
His commandments. To the seven communities in Asia Jesus sent 
by John those messages of most solemn warnings and admonitions 
and promises, and revealed unto them the things that were to trans¬ 
pire before his second coming. Never were the congregations at 
Rome or Alexandria, which began to meddle with the philosophy of 
the Greeks, thus honored, nor the renowned Sorbonne at Paris: but 
listen! John was to write to the so-called Ebionite Heretics, to the 
same that shortly afterwards were anathematized by the Gentile 
Christians as Judaizers, sensuous Chiliasts* and befogged keepers 
of the seventh day; the same class of Christians that were perse¬ 
cuted in the fourth century for not subjecting themselves under 
the so-called orthodox regulations that were set up at the council of 
Nice. Notice also, that while the Hebrew Christians respected the 
Revelation of Jesus Christ (and were also for this reason frequently 
accused of heresy) there never was, even to this day, a single Gen- 
tile-Christian church, that became popular, to which the Revelation 
was not a stumblingblock either whole or in part. The church com¬ 
munities of Asia, the so-called Ebionite Heretics, were the first 
that resisted the innovations and traditions that gave birth to the 
papacy. And, how strange! as far as the writer knows, there never 
was a Protestant church historian that did not omit to slander the 
Hebrew Christians, and that did not assert that the Romish church 
was a member of the Church of Christ. Even Encyclopaedias did 
the same. The reading of the first and second volumes of Neander’s 
Church History brings to mind the character of the Turkish Jani¬ 
zaries. For in like manner as the captive youths of Christian par¬ 
entage became the most fanatic of Mohammedans, so Neander, the 
most renowned of all church historians, though born a Jew, became 
one of the greatest adversaries of the primitive Hebrew Christians, 
and a zealous follower of Roman and Lutheran errors. He did not 
hesitate to call John, the apostle and evangelist of Asia Minor, by 
the name of The Judaizing John (vol. II, p. 122, Bohn’s edition). 
To preach the coming kingdom of God is the duty of every evan¬ 
gelist, but Neander brands the belief in the mellennium as an illu¬ 
sion, and declares on that account, that the Hebrew Christians 

* Namely: believers in the future reign of Christ and his saints 
on the earth. Matt. 19:28; Rev. 5:10; Rev. 20. 



336 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 

were “low” and “sensuous,” see for example vol. II, p. 431. That 
during the first two centuries the Lord gathered out of the twelve 
tribes His jewels, His chief elect, the 144,000 (of Rev. ch 7 and 
ch. 14) that shall 'eign with Christ: of this Neander had not the 
least idea. To him as to Luther and Calvin and all sectarians the 
Revelation was not a revelation, but a mystery and a stumbling- 
block. Did Jesus tell his disciples before his ascension, when they 
asked him if he immediately would set up the kingdom of Israel, 
that it should not be set up ? No; on the contrary, he said, It is not 
for you to know the time which the Father hath put in His own 
power. 

Also Mohammed, the false prophet, hated and persecuted the 
non-Roman Christians far more than he did the Roman Catholics. 
But immediately after his death there came a change. In the proph¬ 
ecy concerning the Mohammedan power, Rev. 9:4, it is written, that 
“it was commanded” (to the Mohammedan warriors) “that they 
should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither 
any tree, but only those men who have not the seal of God in their 
foreheads.” This prophecy was fulfilled in this, that Abubeker, the 
new commander, sent a circular letter to all the chiefs, commanding 
them: “When you fight the battles of the Lord acquit yourselves like 
men, without turning your backs; but let not your victory be stained 
with the blood of women and children. Destroy no palmtrees, nor 
burn any fields of corn. Cut down no fruit trees, nor do any mischief 
to cattle, only such as you kill to eat. When you make any covenant 
or article, stand to it and be as good as your word. As you go on you 
will find some religious persons who live in monasteries and propose 
to themselves to serve God that way; let them alone, do not kill them 
nor destroy their monasteries. You will find, however, a certain kind 
of people t^at belong to the synagogue of Satan, who have shaven 
crowns. Be sure you cleave their skulls and give them no quarter till 
they either turn Mohammedan or pay tribute.”—Now those with 
shaven crowns were Roman Catholics that were marked with the 
so-called “tonsure,” a ring of hair around the shaven skull, by which 
they presumed to appear like saints as they were pictured off in those 
days with halo around their heads. These possessed not Christian 
humility, but were presumptuous, and worshipped saints and relics 
and taught and followed the traditons of an impure church—the 
papacy. They had not the sign of God’s people, namely obedience to 
all of God’s commandments, but they had an outward mark 

Dear reader, the term Judaizing, scripturally, cannot apply to 
the keeping of the Sabbath of the Lord, or to other commandments 
that in no wise conflict with the new covenant of faith in Christ 
Jesus. That law of which it is said, God added no more to it 
(Deut. 5:22) was not suspended. The law which is suspended is 


Postscript. 


337 


the sacrificial law that was given by Moses 430 years after Abra¬ 
ham. It “was added” (Gal. 3:19) because of transgressions against 
that fundamental law which always existed since the creation of 
man. The old sacrificial law’ (which is Jewish) was not kept by 
the Hebrew Christians; neither did they keep the traditions of the 
Pharisees. Therefore, it was slander to call the Hebrew Christians 
Judaizers.* Jesus instructed us yet in another respect what Juda- 
izing includes. He told the Pharisees that it was old and past, and 
had been only for the hardness of their hearts, that, for example, 
such a law as the marriage divorce on unimportant grounds had 
been permitted, and that it w r as said to their fathers, An eye for 
an eye and a tooth for a tooth, and Love them that love you, and 
hate-thine enemies; that therefore retaliation, that is, paying evil 
for evil, as it used to be under the old fleshly covenant, and as it is 
practiced by nominal Christians, is Jewish. 

We see, therefore, that there are many Judaizers who think they 
are not, namely those who subscribe to punitive law r s and meddle 
with politics, and go to law before the worldlians, and repay evil 
for evil, etc. It is because of the prevailing wickedness and the 
vet dominating powder of Satan that God yet suffers the present po¬ 
litical powders. He suffers them only until the election of members of 
the bride of Christ from all nations is ended; and then shall the king¬ 
dom of God appear. Men of the world must rule the present wwld; 
and they know very well what is right between man and man. God 
has given all men a conscience in such respeci, Rom. 2:15; but the 
knowledge of God is purely by Scriptural revelation. Christians 
could impossibly rule the present w r orld. As long as the kingdom 
is not yet come with power and glory, wickedness prevails. The 
w 7 orldlian is, moreover, the most patriotic. To him this world is 
everything. Rom. 13:9 teaches that the Christian submits to the 
powers that be in all matters of the second table of the decalogue. 
But meanwhile he looks for a better government wdiich does come 
wdien God himself shall have made the enemies of Christ his foot¬ 
stool. Revenge is Mine, saith the Lord. Would a Christian be a 
policeman and knock people down, or should he make laws to suit 
the present world ? His energy must be used in another direction. 

* Undoubtedly there have been weak minded people, not only of 
Hebrews, but (as Paul’s letter to the Galatians shows) also among the 
Gentiles, that relapsed into Judaism during that perilous time before 
the temple was destroyed. These then were exceptions. 



338 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


Worldlians must rule the present world. And though they sin 
themselves, they will nevertheless punish public evil-doers. And 
withal they see the walk of the children of God who are the salt of 
the earth. As the Jews sought the help of the worldly power and 
urged Herod and the Romans to kill the Christians, so likewise have 
impure churches (chiefly the papal) appealed to the worldly gov¬ 
ernments contrary to Christ's teaching. 

The present covenant of faith holds forth greater promises 
than the old, namely the gift of the Divine nature and the inher¬ 
itance of all things. These exceeding great promises are, however, 
only for the overcomers, who, after having first been justified 
through the blood of Christ, have consecrated themselves entirely 
to God. 

The present is a covenant of self-sacrifice—a covenant of con¬ 
secrating ourselves to the service of God and our fellowmen, a cov¬ 
enant of suffering in which we follow Jesus, our great example. 
Love your enemies. Do good to them that despitefully use you. 
Whoever smites thee on one cheek turn to him the other also. Be 
not conformed to this world. Present your bodies a living sacri¬ 
fice unto God: this is your reasonable service. And we shall obtain 
the great salvation, the crown of life, the divine nature and an ex¬ 
ceeding weight of glory as members of the elect of God. This, the 
present, has been the day of election to that great inheritance The 
follower of Jesus who takes upon him his cross and consecrates 
himself to the service of God, who denies himself, doing good to 
others—shall not be saved only like the rest, that is, he shall not 
gain only what he lost in Adam, but he shall have an abundant en¬ 
trance into the kingdom of God and our Lord Jesus Christ. He 
shall inherit all things. How the day of election, determined of 
God for that great salvation and inheritance, is almost past, namely 
this day of suffering and consecration under the covenant of faith. 
When it closes then shall come the day of the restitution. Jesus 
shall return, as it is written: God will send Jesus whom the 
heavens must retain until the time of the restitution of all things 
of which the prophets have spoken. The members of the bride¬ 
groom, the 144,000, shall reign on the earth with Christ their head; 
but the other elect, the members of the bride, that innumerable 
company, shall descend from God out of heaven when the reign of 
the restitution is over. 


Postscript. 


339 


Nominal and psychical Christians have always meddled with 
the political powers, but advanced Christians have not, and never 
will. We know that the time will come when God shall commit the 
reign and judgment to Christ and his saints, the time which God 
has put in His Own power, the time of judgment and retribution, 
the glorious time of the deliverance from bondage: things for 
which the whole creation groaneth and waiteth, the time of the final 
redemption which God purposed through Christ. Then shall be a 
righteous judgment and the works of Satan shall be destroyed. 
This is what the primitive Christians looked for. 

Let us therefore in conclusion go over a few statements in 
Neander’s Church History vol. II in regard to the faith of the 
primitive Christians as to the reign of the saints on the earth. On 
p. 396 he says, “The idea of a millennial reign which the Messiah 
would set up on earth . . . where all the righteous of all times 

should live together in a holy community.” This certainly is con¬ 
fusion, and betrays ignorance, and a false impression is thereby 
made: for the Revelation shows that not all the righteous, namely 
none of the innumerable bridecompany, but those only that shall 
have part in the first resurrection, namely the 144,000, shall reign 
with Christ over the earth during the millennium, and that the 
descent of the bridecompany or the great hosts of the elect from all 
nations who are partakers also of the great salvation and the divine 
nature, shall not take place until the millennial reign and the times 
of the restitution are past. On p. 397 he accuses also Papias and 
Irenaeuns* of teaching and erroneous doctrine, namely that of the 
millennium. On pp. 397 and 398 Neander says that “in the,church 
of Rome, where originally an anti-Jewish tendency prevailed, we 
find later an anti-chiliastic tendency which might have existed ‘ 
from the'first.” Might have? We certainly know that what is 
called Romanish and Papal was always Anti-chiliastic; but, Who 
knows, or can believe, that the first Christians at Rome (to whom 
Paul wrote) belonged to such a denomination? On p. 398 he says, 
“The common anti-chiliastic tendency of Gnosticism.” This ex¬ 
pression he probably made only through unthoughted oversight. 
For, knowing as he does (and said so himself), that all the Hebrew- 
Christian Gnostics believed in a coming millennium, he ought, in 

* We certainly dare assume that these men have known the 
truth. Irenseus was the disciple of Polycarp. And Polycarp was the 
disciple of John, by whom he was instructed mouth to mouth. 



340 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


harmony with truth, to have said: “The anti-chiliastic tendency 
of Gentile Christian Gnosticism.” Then, only a few lines further, 
we see how the Roman church in the days of presbyter Caius heaped 
slander on slander on the word of God inasmuch as the canonicity 
of the Apocalypse was denied. Then, on pp. 399 and 400 we find 
how easily Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, suppressed the book 
which Nepos had written in refutation of the allegorists of the 
Alexandrian school who had spiritualized the meaning of the Re¬ 
velation entirely away. Why could Dionysius suppress that book? 
It was because at that time (A. D. 255) only a few of the proph¬ 
ecies of the Revelation could have been fulfilled, and they were 
just exactly such of which Jesus himself had spoken; and 2) be¬ 
cause the prophecy of the Fourth Seal (Rev. ch. 6:7, 8) was then 
just in the course of fulfilment, and therefore the end of the gath¬ 
ering of the 144,000 that were called out of the tribes of Israel, 
Rev. ch. 7, was approaching: the Hebrew-Christian influence be¬ 
gan to wane and the paganizing influences of Greek philosophy 
were everywhere on the increase and prepared the way for the papal 
hierarchy, especially right there at Alexandria.* Therefore the 
book which Nepos had written was easily destroyed (and soon 
thereafter followed the destruction of all other Ebionite writings). 
Dionysius, however, says, “On many accounts I esteemed and loved 
Nepos; on account of his faith, his untiring diligence, his familiar 
acquaintance with the holy scriptures, and on account of the great 
number of church hymns which he has composed, and which to this 
day are the delight of many of the brethren And I venerate the 
man the more because he has already entered into his rest. But 
dear to me, and precious above all things else, is the truth. Where- 
ever, therefore, Nepos has expressed the truth we must love him and 
agree with him; but we must examine and correct him in those 
passages of his writings where he seems to be wrong.” Now, in 
what respect, especially, did Dionysius deem Nepos wrong? Indeed 
just in respect of the millennium and that Nepos had written 
“we should understand God’s promises in harmony with those given 
by the prophets of old.”f Notice, Dionysius dared not say that 


* See Ch. IX. 

f See Euseb. b. 7, ch. 23. Montanus, Beryllus and nearly all 
those decried as heretics in those days were so because of the doc¬ 
trine of the millennium and concerning the person of our Lord. God’s 
people are those who keep God’s commandments and the faith of 



Postscript. 


341 


Nepos was wrong anywhere, but he said that in certain passages 
he “seems to be in the wrong.” Nevertheless he suppressed the 
book entirely. And not only were by and by all other post-apostolic 
writings of the primitive Christians destroyed everywhere, but 
even the Revelation of John was falsified by those Alexandrians. 
See Ch. IX.—On pp. 406 and 407 Neander proves that the writer 
of the so-called Epistles of Barnabas was no Hebrew-Christian, but 
a clumsy impostor whose aim was to oppose the teaching of the 
Ebionites, to abolish the Sabbath, etc. 

Hegesippus testified that in his time (that is toward the end 
of the first century) the spirit of so-called Ebionism was predom¬ 
inant also in the majority of Gentile Christian congregations. And 
yet a hundred years later when the faith of the Hebrew Christians, 
or Ebionites, began to be condemned as judaistical and heretical, 
we find in the writings of Irenaeus still a great inclination toward 
the teaching of the old communities of Asia Minor and even of 
Montanism, that is, we might say “Shouting Chili asm.” 

The Romant church historians say that Christianity was yet 
very crude in the days of the primitive church. They sav, The 
Christian Church is progressive in her doctrines. What a delu¬ 
sion ! And where are now the great gifts of the holy Ghost and 
the fervent love of the brethren ? Surely not among the sects. The 
true Church is yet the same. She does not change. Persons, how¬ 
ever, as they go on in this life, can progress in knowledge, piety, love 
and good works. Is there anywhere a popular church that teaches 
and obeys the doctrine of Christ given in his sermon on the mount ? 
No; the true Church of God is not popular. Every popular church 
allows her members to meddle with the poltieal powers and to use 
their laws to take revenge, to return evil for evil, to exact increase 
of the poor for loans and drive orphans and widows from their 
homes, to take wages against the innocent, to rob nations that can 

Jesus. In this and in the love toward one another they are one. In 
other matters we cannot all see alike while we are yet in the flesh; 
for that which is perfect has not yet come on the earth. Paul there¬ 
fore aid not say that we should be of one mind in all matters, but W3 
should be of one mind toward one another, in love, and tenderhearted, 
teachable, forgiving one another. Not as Dionysius and others were. 

f The writer now calls them Roman, though they claim the name 
Protestant. 



342 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


not help themselves of their rights and lands, and to use violence, 
and to swear; and this even for a very small matter, for a few 
cents, etc.* Not through violence and worldly power can heathen 
be raised out of darkness. No; but only by kindness, good teach¬ 
ing accompanied with good works, self sacrifice and good exam¬ 
ples, as in the days of the apostles. Revolutionists and insurgents 
need not call themselves Christians. We are instructed to be sub¬ 
ject in all civil affairs to the powers that be, whether these powers 
were pagan Roman as in the days of the apostles, or be they now 
pagan Chinese or whatever. We shall not meddle with them; 
true reformation comes not that way, not through wordly weapons, 
but through the Spirit. Paul wrote to the Corinthian brethren (1 
Cor. ch. 6) that they should suffer rather than go to law before 
the worldlians. This also is Christ’s teaching in Math. 5:39. 

The terrible power of Babylon to kill those that refuse to re¬ 
ceive in their forehead and in their right hand the great sign of 
her authority, is now in the past. Nevertheless her sign is yet re¬ 
spected by the multitudes. (See Ch. VII: Exegesis of Rev. 13:16, 
17.) Moreover, men partake of the Lord’s body, without thinking 
that they are members of one body which is governed by the same 
mind that was in Jesus, and that the partaking of the same bread 
and drinking out of the same cup shows, that we are of the same 
spiritual body, and should have all things common, according to 
the example given us by the apostles. 

But the great heresy of our day is the denial of the doctrine of 
the ransom: God is love, and willing to pardon; but Pie is right¬ 
eous, He can not forgive sin without a ransom, a substitute. See 
Num. 14:18; Isa. 53 :4, 5, etc. God, against whom we have sinned, 
can not be His Own substitute to pa;y our debt. Neither can any 
man be a substitute for man, because all have sinned and are under 
condemnation. Therefore, if Christ had been “Very God of Very 
God and One Substance with the Father” man could not have been 
saved; neither if Christ had been a mere man. But now, Christ 
was not God from all eternity, but he was “The First of the crea¬ 
tion of God,” Rev. 3:14, Col. 1:15; through him God also created 
all things that are made. And God sent him into the world to 
save it, to die for us; for he was perfect, without sin, and he was 

* The early Christians did not swear at all. See Euseb. b. 6, 
ch. 5; also Gibbon ch. 15. 



Postscript. 


343 


willing to be obedient even unto death, yea, unto the death on the 
cross. Therefore, after having fulfilled his mission, God exalted 
him and gave him a name which is above every name in heaven and 
on earth, and gave him power to restore to God all things of which 
the prophets have spoken. See Ch. Y, and Philipp, ch. 2; John 
cli. 5 ; Acts 3:21, etc. And when all things shall have been brought 
back to God then shall the Son deliver up the kingdom and be sub¬ 
ject again to Him Who put all things under him, 1 Cor. 15:28, that 
God may be all in all. Why is our Lord called Christ, that is The 
Anointed ? • Even because the holy Spirit proceeded from the 
Father and abode upon Jesus after his baptism. The Greek Cath¬ 
olics therefore are right in this that they have not subscribed to 
the ’complete IJomoousian doctrine of the papacy. See Matth. 
3:13-17; 1 John 2:18-29; etc. 

Amidst the noisy wranglings of the sects of Babylon have you, 
oh reader, never heard of learned and eminent teachers of theology, 
who, within the last century, have expressed their doubts as to the 
correctness of the prevalent belief concerning the true Christian 
Church, and who ventured to say that if the Ebionites were true 
Christians (which at heart they seemed to believe) then the whole 
popularly accepted history of the Christian Church would be over¬ 
turned? That is to say at least, that much of what was looked 
upon as orthodox would be heretical, and vice versa. Where then 
is a history of the true Christian Church, and an exposition of doc¬ 
trines on which we can rely, if it be neither MosheinPs, nor Nean- 
dePs, nor Alzog’s, nor any that is in harmony with the tenets of 
the Nicene synod? It is none other but the Revelation which God 
gave to Jesus (Rev. 1:1) and which is exegetically laid before you 
in this book. The Revelation is the only exclusively prophetic 
book in the New Testament, coming directly from the Father Him¬ 
self, Rev. 1:1; 22:18, 19. In panoramic exhibitions it also unfolds 
what many a learned man painfully seeks to gather out of all other 
prophecies of the Scripture and out of hundreds of pages of his¬ 
torical works without being yet able to grasp the full truth and the 
significance of the great events that made epochs in the history of 
the present world. The Revelation gives us a synopsis of the latter 
in the true light, and the only correct history of those “that keep 
the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus,” and proves 
that the papacy is the Anti-christ of the Scripture. It teaches us 
the unspeakable love of God and proves the correctness of the 


344 


Exposition of Heavenly Truths. 


declarations of Peter and Paul that the purpose of the present dis¬ 
pensation has been to gather out of the world an elect people that 
shall attain the Divine nature, that the Gospel therefore was so 
far preached “for a witness,” and that the times of retribution and 
judgment, and of the restitution of men to the plane for which 
Adam was created, will not fully begin until the second coming of 
Christ. 



Many testimonials, especially from preachers of various de¬ 
nominations, could be given concerning the foregoing work—in 
particular on the Interpretation of the Revelation of John. How¬ 
ever, the testimonies of God’s word and the plain facts recorded 
by History are sufficient. To these alone the writer refers and 
waives all others as being unnecessary, judging, that while re¬ 
commendations from men of high standing are desirable for 
works of fiction and human science, they are here superfluous 
and quite out of place. 











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